CHICAGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their first series in over a month after a 6-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday at Rate Field, raising concerns about their recent bullpen difficulties. Holding a one-run lead entering the sixth inning, the Dodgers’ pitching staff unraveled in a six-run frame that featured three home runs, allowing the White Sox to pull away in front.

Emmet Sheehan, the Dodgers’ starter, had delivered a strong performance through five innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight without surrendering a run. However, the sixth inning marked a turning point. Sheehan began the frame by giving up a leadoff home run to Sam Antonacci on a 0-2 fastball, followed by an RBI double from Andrew Benintendi that forced his removal. Jack Dreyer, his bullpen replacement, continued the damage by allowing a two-run homer to Colson Montgomery, and later another two-run shot to Chase Meidroth before securing the inning’s first out.

Bench coach Danny Lehmann, filling in for manager Dave Roberts, who was attending his daughter’s college graduation, acknowledged that missed opportunities to throw strikes and get ahead in counts contributed to the bullpen struggles. “We’ve gotten bit by the long ball, obviously in Pittsburgh and here tonight,” Lehmann said. “But overall, it’s more the strike throwing and just getting ahead of guys and doing what they’re supposed to do.”

This loss marked the Dodgers’ fifth recent game in which they allowed at least four runs in a single inning, often leading to late-inning failures to mount comebacks. The bullpen has been a particular source of concern, carrying the third-highest earned run average in Major League Baseball during the month of June. Dreyer’s performance Sunday further highlighted those struggles; after allowing two home runs, his ERA for the month nearly doubled from 2.08 to 3.77, making him a key figure in the unit's ongoing difficulties.

Despite the pitching woes, the Dodgers showed resilience at the plate late in the game, scoring in each of the final three innings and narrowing the deficit to two runs. Unfortunately, they were unable to complete the comeback, leaving the tying runs stranded on base in the ninth inning.

Offensively, Mookie Betts provided a bright spot amid the loss. After a recent slump and an error that ended a near-perfect game on Saturday, Betts contributed two hits on Sunday, including an eighth-inning home run. His batting average rose to .204, marking a return to the .200 threshold for the first time since the season's start, which Lehmann called a positive development.

The defeat pushed the Dodgers to a .500 record on their current road trip through Pittsburgh and Chicago and snapped their long streak without a series loss, dating back to early May against the Atlanta Braves. The White Sox, who improved their record to 38-32, have emerged as a challenging opponent this week, with Dodgers staff commending their energy and athleticism.

Looking ahead, the Dodgers will return to Los Angeles to begin a series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Eric Lauer (2-5, 5.47 ERA) is slated to start for Los Angeles, opposing right-hander Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.43 ERA).