In a historic and painful loss for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Houston Astros delivered an 18-1 defeat at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2025. Jose Altuve, infamous for his role in the Astros' 2017 sign-stealing scandal, shone brightly with a stellar performance, hitting two home runs and driving in five RBIs. Christian Walker also starred, contributing significantly with four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. The game was marked by poor pitching from Ben Casparius, who allowed six runs in three innings, and a disastrous sixth inning where Noah Davis gave up ten runs.

Despite their record, the Astros have surged to become serious contenders, winning 27 of their last 37 games. Their resurgence is attributed to a retooled roster following the fallout from the 2017 scandal. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the historical animosity between the teams but maintained that most of the players from the scandal era have moved on. As the Dodgers' struggles continue, this defeat raises questions about their pitching depth and potential playoff implications.