The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their worst home loss in more than a century after an event last week that honored the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who many critics see as an anti-Catholic group. The 15-0 loss to the rival San Francisco Giants placed the Dodgers in third place in the National League West Division.
On the night of the ceremony, the Dodgers dropped a 7-5 decision to the Giants. However, on Saturday the Dodgers lost 15-0, their worst home loss since an 1898 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The series ended Sunday with the Giants downing the Dodgers 7-3. The loss caused the Dodgers to lose three games in the standings to the Giants, falling into third place in the division.
The series resulted in the Dodgers falling 4.5 games behind the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks and a half-game behind the Giants. The Dodgers’ loss places them only 3.5 games ahead of the struggling fourth-place San Diego Padres.
On Friday, the Dodgers hosted the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, following a public back-and-forth about the invitation. Following an initial invitation and revocation of that invitation, the team agreed to have the group attend its LGBT Pride night.
The ceremony in which the group was given an award as “Community Heroes” was poorly attended.
The decision was met with significant criticism, both from fans and players.
Prior to Friday’s game, several thousand protesters assembled outside of Dodger Stadium.
Furthermore, the franchise faced criticism from its own pitching ace Clayton Kershaw, who said that he saw the Sisters’ performances as mocking religion. He lobbied for, and received, the return of the team’s Christian Faith and Family Day, which is scheduled for next month.
“It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion,” Kershaw said. “So that’s something that I definitely don’t agree with.”
“Yes, it was in response to the highlighting of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” he said.
Excited to announce the relaunch of Christian Faith and Family Day at Dodger Stadium on July 30th. More details to come— but we are grateful for the opportunity to talk about Jesus and determined to make it bigger and better than it was before COVID. Hope to see you on July 30th! pic.twitter.com/yNu7HyEgR9
— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) May 26, 2023
