Dodgers manager begrudgingly notices difference based on opponent

The Dodgers began a nine-game road trip by sweeping the Angels in the Freeway Series, then faced the Padres and Brewers for the first time that season. The Padres had been playing strong baseball and often elevate their performance against the Dodgers, but Los Angeles won two of three games at Petco Park to keep its National League West lead. The Dodgers then played three games against a Brewers team that moved into first place in the NL Central. Manager Dave Roberts said top opponents create smaller margins, require good baseball, and motivate the team to avoid embarrassment while staying ready for subsequent series. After a 5-1 loss to start the Brewers series, the Dodgers won consecutive games to take the series and finished the road trip 7-2.

"“I do,” Roberts said on SportsNet LA when asked if playing top teams brings the best out of the Dodgers. “I don't know if that's good or bad. You'd like to think you just kind of have the same intensity and focus every series, certainly probably unfair to expect that. “But I do think when we play really good teams, your margin is smaller and you've got to play good baseball. No one likes to get embarrassed, so yeah, we get up for those series. But you've also got to make sure in the following series you don't let down, because all these games count the same.”"

"“So now looking at the Padres, this is a really good team, so it's certainly not a letdown series. It's a team that's leading their division and they play good baseball, so we've got to be ready to play good.”"

"The Padres have been playing some of their best baseball as of late and always seem to rise up when they face the Dodgers. However, it was L.A. that took two out of three games at Petco Park to maintain their first-place lead in the National League West."

"The Dodgers began their three-game series against the Brewers with a 5-1 loss on Friday that snapped a modest two-game winning streak. Like they did against the Padres, L.A. responded with consecutive wins to take the series. That resulted in an overall 7-2 record on their road trip."

Read at Dodger Blue