Dodgers Beat West-Leading Diamondbacks To End 3-Game Skid
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle Farmer's sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run in a sixth inning that included mistakes by Arizona's bullpen and helped the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the NL West-leading Diamondbacks 6-3 on Wednesday night.
The scuffling Dodgers improved to 4-8 against their division rivals this season. Their three-game skid ended on a night when they got back one of their injured stars. Yasiel Puig went 3 for 4 with two runs scored in his return from the disabled list.
The Diamondbacks' three-game winning streak ended.
With the score tied 1-all, the Dodgers loaded the bases in the fifth but failed to cash in.
Their luck changed in the sixth.
Yasmani Grandal, Austin Barnes and Puig reached on singles off Fernando Salas (3-3) to load the bases. Farmer followed with a fly to left field, scoring Grandal for a 2-1 lead.
Andrew Chafin came in and walked pinch-hitter Max Muncy to load the bases again.
Silvino Bracho followed and hit Chris Taylor with a pitch, forcing in Barnes. Bracho unleashed a wild pitch that scored Puig and the Dodgers led 4-1 before Enrique Hernandez struck out to end the inning.
Arizona rallied in the seventh, closing to 4-3 on Paul Goldschmidt's RBI single and A.J. Pollock's run-scoring groundout.
But the Dodgers extended their lead to 6-3 in the eighth on pinch-hitter Chase Utley's two-run double that scored Barnes, who walked, and Puig, who singled.
Pedro Baez (1-1) got the win with one inning of relief. Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
The game began on an unusual note, with the Diamondbacks taking a 1-0 lead in the first on Nick Ahmed's inside-the-park home run to deep center field.
Hernandez crashed into the wall tracking the ball and fell down. He got up but Puig raced over from right, grabbed the ball and fired it into the infield. A sliding Ahmed beat the relay throw and Grandal's tag.
Arizona starter Patrick Corbin gave up one run and three hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out seven and walked four.
Alex Wood started for the Dodgers and gave up one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: 3B Jake Lamb (left AC joint sprain) threw, ran and took grounders while taking a day off from hitting. ... LHP Robbie Ray (strained left oblique) exercised in the pool and worked on his overall body strength.
Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner (broken left wrist) had six to 10 at-bats in a simulated game, took grounders and threw to the bases. Turner will take up to 10 at-bats on Thursday and is expected to be activated for the first time this season when the team is in Washington next week. ... Clayton Kershaw (left biceps tendinitis) played soft catch with a trainer, stretching out to 60 feet, but manager Dave Roberts said it's too soon to know whether the left-hander could return in 10 days. ... LHP Tony Cingrani, who pitched an inning of relief on Tuesday, went on the 10-day DL with left shoulder inflammation.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (3-2, 4.10 ERA) starts the home opener of a four-game series against the Nationals.
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (2-0, 1.13) starts the series opener against the Reds. He contributed to Los Angeles' combined no-hitter in Mexico last weekend with six innings of no-hit ball while also earning his second win.
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
