The Los Angeles Dodgers erased a four-run deficit and still lost their sixth game in a row when J.T. Realmuto’s tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning helped the Miami Marlins win 6-5 Wednesday night.

The Marlins clinched the series after another last-place team, Cincinnati, swept a four-game set at Los Angeles. The defending NL champion Dodgers and the rebuilding Marlins have identical 16-26 records.

Miami bopper Justin Bour hit a two-run homer, his ninth. Starlin Castro tied a career high with four hits to hike his batting average to .300.

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Yasmani Grandal hit his seventh home run and singled in a run for the Dodgers.

The Marlins’ Elieser Hernandez, a Rule 5 draft pick making his first career start, allowed one run in five innings and left with a 5-1 lead.

Los Angeles quickly erased it, scoring four runs in the sixth against Miami’s bullpen. Max Muncy’s two-run double off Drew Steckenrider made it 5-all.

Steckenrider (2-1) regrouped to retire five batters. Brad Ziegler pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his seventh save, with Justin Turner bouncing into a game-ending double play.

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Pedro Baez (1-2) gave up the sixth-inning homer by Realmuto, who has at least one hit in all 21 career games against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles rookie Walker Buehler gave up a season-high five runs, four earned, in five innings.

Brian Anderson’s two-out RBI single in the first put Miami ahead. An error by Dodgers shortstop Chris Taylor led to an unearned run in the third, which scored on Castro’s single.

The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig went 0 for 4 and stranded five runners, including two in the eighth.

Rotation juggled

Hernandez was inserted into the rotation, and LHP Caleb Smith’s start was pushed back a day. LHP Jarlin Garcia, who has started six games, was available in the bullpen but will rejoin the rotation at some point, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly breaks down Wednesday night’s win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Trainer’s room

Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (blister) threw a bullpen and is on track to start Saturday at Washington. … LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder inflammation) is expected to be activated from the disabled list Saturday.

Up next

RHP Kenta Maeda (2-3, 4.75 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Dodgers in the series finale Thursday afternoon against Smith (2-4, 3.63).

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Dodgers’ Skid Reaches 6 Games with Loss in Miami, 6-5