The Los Angeles Dodgers capped the Freeway Series in a tough 13-5 loss on Sunday. Their pitching staff, one of the best in the league, faltered badly against the Los Angeles Angels. Following the game, Emmet Sheehan expressed frustration with his own outing.

“Yeah, just frustrating,” the 26-year-old Dodgers starter reflected on his outing, per Sportsnet LA. “Definitely, couldn’t put guys away. Not efficient and just not good all around.”

Sheehan had recorded a quick, scoreless first inning when his troubles started in the next frame.

The Angels’ batters chased him as the pitch count kept spiking. Though Sheehan started the inning with a strikeout, his pitch count spiked to 35 by the time he was pulled. Out of those pitches, he threw 14 to Nick Madrigal alone before the hitter walked.

“The stuff felt pretty good early, but executing, especially with two strikes, just not very good,” Sheehan reportedly observed.

In the next at-bat, Sheehan loaded the bases after José Siri walked on ball four. However, catcher Dalton Rushing felt it was a foul tip. But alas, the MLB does not allow reviews in such cases.

The Dodgers pulled Sheehan after 1.1 innings when he gave up a two-run single to Sebastian Rivero, giving the Angels a 2-0 lead. Emmett Sheehan threw 49 pitches on Sunday. Edgardo Henriquez ended the inning without further damage. He also retired the Angels’ hitters without giving up a run in the third.

After Sheehan’s brief stint, the Dodgers’ relievers had their work cut out for them. Last season, the Dodgers’ relief pitching staff worked more than any other team, throwing 657.2 innings. However, with starters going deeper consistently, the workload is more balanced this season.

But the bullpen could not step up to the challenge against the Angels. They leaked runs until the ninth inning, when Rivero recorded his sixth RBI on Sunday with a double. The Dodgers’ bullpen collectively gave up a season-high 11 runs on Sunday.

The game came within the Dodgers’ reach in the sixth, when Dalton Rushing blasted a three-run shot. Ryan Ward backed Rushing with a home run, making it a one-run match at 6-5.

But more runs poured in from the Angels, as Adell and Zach Neto launched homers of their own. The Dodgers’ hitters could not add any more runs after that.

Last year, the Angels won the Freeway Series 6-0 against the Dodgers. However, the defending World Series champions have turned the tables with a 5-1 record. But their lone loss against the second-worst team in the league was unexpected and a bitter pill to swallow.

As Sheehan took his third loss of the season, manager Dave Roberts spoke about the outing.

Dave Roberts addresses Emmett Sheehan’s latest start

“I just didn’t feel comfortable getting him past the 40-pitch mark in one inning,” Roberts reportedly said. “In that second inning, he had one out and then here comes (Zach) Neto, here comes (Mike) Trout, I just felt right there… I’m not going to put this guy in harm’s way with stress… I love the way that Emmet felt that there was more in the tank.”

Sheehan labored most against Madrigal, whom he ended up walking.

Following the match, he remarked, per Sportsnet LA, “Try to get him out of the box as quick as I possibly can. Make him put the ball in play, which he fouled off a lot of pitches, and had a really good at bat.”

The latest loss has raised the right-hander’s ERA to 4.70, and he now holds a 3-3 record. Sheehan is in his third season with the team. The Dodgers have an off-day on Monday, when the bullpen can regroup before their next game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.