Ethier, Rollins Hit 3-Run Homers As Dodgers Beat D-Backs, 9-3
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Ethier and Jimmy Rollins hit three-run homers and Howie Kendrick had three hits in his return to the starting lineup, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Mike Bolsinger (4-1) allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings, striking out eight and walking two after getting staked to a 9-0 lead. Ender Inciarte's fourth-inning single was the only hit against the right-hander until the sixth, when he gave up a leadoff walk to Nick Ahmed, a one-out infield hit by Inciarte and a two-run double by A.J. Pollock.
Pollock's hit snapped Bolsinger's season-opening string of 24 consecutive scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium.
Rubby De La Rosa (2-3) gave up nine runs and 10 hits over five innings in a matchup of pitchers going up against the teams they originally signed big league contracts with.
De La Rosa joined the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent in July 2007. Bolsinger was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 15th round of the 2010 draft and went 1-6 with a 5.47 ERA in nine starts as a rookie last season before the Dodgers purchased his contract in November.
Kendrick, starting at second base for the first time in five games due to a left knee strain, opened the scoring in the first with an RBI single. He led off the fourth with another single -- one of five consecutive Dodgers to reach base -- and they padded their lead to 6-0.
Alex Guerrero and Ethier delivered RBI singles and Rollins drove De La Rosa's 2-1 pitch to center field for his seventh homer, ending a stretch of 79 at-bats in which he had only two RBIs -- both of which came on homers against Atlanta's Nick Masset and Colorado's Kyle Kendrick.
Ethier made it 9-0 in the fifth with a first-pitch homer, his eighth of the season, after Kendrick singled for the third time and Yasmani Grandal doubled. De La Rosa has surrendered 24 runs, 29 hits and six homers in 21 innings over his last four starts, raising his ERA to 5.84.
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner fouled a pitch hard off his left knee in the third inning and crumpled to the ground before head trainer Stan Conte and manager Don Mattingly went out to check on him.
Turner ran gingerly to first base on his flyball to short centerfield, but remained in the game until Alberto Callaspo replaced him defensively in the fourth with one out and runners at first and second. Bolsinger, who retired the Diamondbacks in order the first time through the lineup, escaped the threat unscathed by retiring Yasmany Tomas on a 6-4-3 double play.
DRAFT DAY
Diamondbacks: Had the first overall pick and selected SS Dansby Swanson, who played 2B for Vanderbilt's National Championship team last year and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the College World Series. This was the first time the D-backs had the No. 1 selection since they took Justin Upton in 2005 out of Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia and converted him from a shortstop into an outfielder.
Dodgers: Selected Swanson's Vanderbilt teammate, RHP Walker Buehler, 24th overall. This was the 12th time in the last 13 years that the organization tabbed a pitcher with its first pick, including Clayton Kershaw in 2006 and Chad Billingsley in 2003. The only non-pitcher during that stretch was SS Corey Seager in 2012 (18th overall).
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Robbie Ray (1-0) is making his third start since his recall from Triple-A Reno. He still has rookie status despite pitching in nine games last season for Detroit -- six starts -- and allowing 26 earned runs in 28 2-3 innings with a 1-4 record.
Dodgers: Carlos Frias (4-3) held the Diamondbacks to four hits in 5 1-3 scoreless innings on May 1 in an 8-0 victory. In six starts since then, he is 2-3 with a 5.19 ERA.
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