LOS ANGELES — The sights, sounds and smells all have been familiar to Landon Knack for months now and on Wednesday the right-hander finally got his first chance to dive into the fray.
Knack made his major league debut and needed an inning to get his bearings before showing the presence that has been front and center for the Dodgers since February.
As good as the rookie was, Washington Nationals starter Jake Irwin was even better as the Dodgers fell, 2-0, to drop each of the first two series on the homestand. The Dodgers have lost three of their last four series overall and are 5-7 since April 5.
Second in MLB with 106 runs at the start of play Wednesday, the Dodgers were shut out for the first time this season.
From Knack’s time in major league camp at spring training to the team’s South Korea trip, and even the past few days spent in Los Angeles as his opportunity approached, Wednesday’s appearance had been so close and also an ocean away at one point.
Although Knack did not make the Opening Day roster for two March games against the San Diego Padres in South Korea, he was included in the 31-player overseas traveling party as the Dodgers also played a pair of exhibition games.
With Bobby Miller now on the injured list, Knack’s moment arrived Wednesday. And while he gave up a pair of first-inning runs on a home run by CJ Abrams and a sacrifice fly from Joey Meneses, he settled in nicely to offer an effective five innings.
Knack retired 10 consecutive batters starting with the final out of the first inning and faced the minimum 12 batters over his final four innings.
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But Knack was paired against a determined Irwin, who gave up just four hits over six scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
The Dodgers had their chances but did not score after putting two runners aboard in the first inning with one out. They also failed to deliver after one-out doubles from James Outman and Max Muncy in the second and fourth innings, respectively.
One day after Manager Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani has been overanxious of late while swinging early in at-bats during run-scoring situations, Ohtani had three of the Dodgers’ five hits but none of his at-bats came with runners in scoring position. It was Ohtani’s 10th multi-hit game of the season and his third three-hit game.
After he had five hits to tie a career best in Tuesday night’s victory, Mookie Betts went 0 for 4 out of the leadoff spot.
More to come on this story.