Even before he left the game after taking a comeback line drive to the thigh, it was clear that Wednesday simply wasn’t Shohei Ohtani’s night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar got the start on the mound in Denver for what should have been an easy opportunity to handle business against the National League-worst Colorado Rockies, but he got roughed up for five earned runs on nine hits through four innings in what would end up being an embarrassing 8-3 loss for the Dodgers.

But while Ohtani’s rough start may have put the Dodgers in a bad spot, he was far from their only problem against Colorado. The Dodgers’ bats also fell flat against the Rockies, who outhit them, 16-7. The loss trimmed the Dodgers’ NL West division lead to a single game, with a critical weekend series against the second-place San Diego Padres looming.

Dave Roberts pulls no punches and rips Dodgers for another loss to Rockies

The Dodgers’ frustrating performance at Coors Field on Wednesday left everyone searching for answers, including manager Dave Roberts.

“We didn’t hit the fastball,” Roberts said after the game. “I don’t think we took good swings off of anything soft. So, yeah, I don’t know the answer… This was baffling in the sense of, with the guys that we have that we’re running out there, just to see the inconsistencies, trying to figure it out. But this is gonna be one we’ve got to just really wash away.”

“This was baffling in the sense of, with the guys that we have that we’re running out there, just to see the inconsistencies… this is gonna be one we have to wash away.”

For the second time in three days, Los Angeles’ lineup went cold against the Rockies. In Monday’s series opener, the Dodgers suffered a 4-3 walk-off loss in which they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. They bounced back in a big way on Tuesday with an 11-4 rout of Colorado, but Wednesday saw them revert back to their previous struggles.

For some inexplicable reason, the Dodgers didn’t have any answers for Rockies right-hander Tanner Gordon, who entered the game with a 7.98 ERA. Their only offense prior to the ninth inning was a solo homer by Teoscar Hernández in the sixth.

With a one-game lead in the division, Los Angeles can’t afford to stumble any further. Whatever is to blame for their recent offensive woes, the Dodgers have very limited time to right the ship before they face the Padres on the road this weekend.