Anderson's 6 Scoreless Innings Lead Dodgers Over Diamondbacks, 4-2
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Brett Anderson gave up four hits in six scoreless innings, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 Monday.
Los Angeles turned several sharp defensive plays behind Anderson, who lowered his ERA to 2.13.
"So far, it's been tremendous," Anderson said of the Dodgers' fielders. "They've made all the plays."
Los Angeles hopes the additions of Jimmy Rollins at shortstop and Howie Kendrick at second help its pitching staff.
"It's easy to see what we were trying to do," manager Don Mattingly said. "We want to be a better defensive club. Some of the things that really hurt us early last year was to give away so many outs and the taxing on the bullpen. Obviously the guys we brought in are two solid guys."
After Nick Evans' two-run single in the seventh off Mike Adams, Adam Liberatore, Pedro Baez and Paco Rodriguez combined for two innings of hitless relief.
Rollins led off the game with a double and scored on Adrian Gonzalez's one-out groundout. Kendrick walked, and Carl Crawford tripled.
A.J. Ellis hit an RBI double in the fourth off Yoan Lopez, who allowed three runs and four hits in four innings. Kike Hernandez added a run-scoring single in the seventh against Enrique Burgos.
Arizona's Nick Evans went 2 for 3, raising his average to .414.
STARTING TIME
Dodgers: Anderson struck out two and walked one.
"He gets a lot of ground balls; he works quick," manager Don Mattingly said. "There's really not a whole lot not to like."
Diamondbacks: The club said Chase Anderson and Trevor Cahill earned spots in the starting rotation, joining opening-day starter Josh Collmenter, Jeremy Hellickson and Rubby De La Rosa.
"I'm just grateful," said Anderson, who went 9-7 with a 4.01 ERA as a 26-year-old rookie last year. "I'm been blessed beyond belief just being on the opening-day roster and getting a rotation spot. I just want to stay humble."
D-BACKS MOVES
Arizona optioned pitchers Matt Reynolds, Allen Webster and A.J. Schugel to Triple-A Reno.
Reynolds, a reliever coming back from Tommy John surgery, is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in spring training. Webster, a starter obtained from Boston in the Wade Miley trade, is 0-1 with an 8.18 ERA.
Arizona reassigned outfielder Nick Buss, infielder Walter Ibarra and pitcher Dan Runzler to their minor league camp.
Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale, noting Reynolds' comeback, said, "That was a really tough one because he's a proven major league lefty before he had the Tommy John. He's made strides in the right direction. We just want to see him pitch more ... and just to be able to pitch back to back. His stuff seems to be coming back nicely."
INFIELD SPOTS
Nick Ahmed is competing with Chris Owings at shortstop. If Ahmed wins, Owings could go to second base, which would displace the veteran Aaron Hill.
If all this happens, Hill could see action at third, particularly if the D-Backs decide if Cuban rookie Yasmany Tomas is not yet ready to play third.
Hale emphasized no decisions have been made. He said Hill, who is hitting .174, is among the more experienced players on the D-Backs' youthful roster.
"We don't want to be too short-sighted with the older guys. Sometimes they need a little longer in spring training to get it going. We're waiting to see that," Hale said. "Experience is a lot in the major leagues. It's not an easy game. Aaron has that one edge on all of them."
But Hale also said, "If it comes down that Aaron is not the starter every day at second base for us, then he's going to have to be flexible enough to go play some other positions. That is a possibility."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Daniel Hudson, who rejoined the Diamondbacks late last season after coming back from two Tommy John surgeries, will be on the club as a reliever. He had been seriously considered for a starting role but said Monday that making him a reliever was a mutual decision. Hudson said he believed he could be a spot starter this season and hopes to compete for a starter's role next year.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Joe Wieland is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
Diamondbacks: Trevor Cahill is set to start Tuesday versus Texas.
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