Dodgers downed by Diamondbacks, sloppy play in 3-1 loss
The Dodgers lost their second straight game to the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, and their first series since the opening weekend of the 2022 season.
The eighth inning proved to be the deciding factor in both Tuesday night's rough loss, which saw Brusdar Graterol allow a go-ahead two-run home run to David Peralta, and Wednesday afternoon's series-deciding loss, where the D-Backs scored the game winner on an error from Max Muncy.
With just two hits on the day, the Diamondbacks pulled off one of the more outlandish box scores in recent history, scoring more runs than hits gathered. Both teams managed just seven hits combined on Tuesday, with the Dodgers winning the advantage there, five hits to two.
Neither team would score until the fifth inning, when Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed hit his first homer of the season, a 398-foot shot to left off of Los Angeles starter Julio Urias (1-1, 2.50 ERA) on a 2-1 fastball that missed its intended location by over a foot.
Urias wound up going six innings, allow just the one run on one hit, walking two and striking out four.
Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen (0-0, 0.60 ERA) tossed six innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits and two walks, striking out five.
They held the lead until the top of the eighth inning, when Trea Turner continued his hot start to the season, driving in his fifteenth RBI on a two-out single that scored Mookie Betts, who had singled a few batters earlier. Turner has reached base in all of the Dodgers games thus far this into the season.
The D-Backs struck back instantly in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs despite failing to hit the ball out of the infield.
Daulton Varsho drew a walk off of Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson to start the inning and scored just two pitches later on a sacrifice bunt from Sergio Alcantara - after Max Muncy hurled a ball over the outstretched hands of Freddie Freeman, allowing Varsho to score all the way from first base.
With Alcantara now standing on third, he was driven in a few batters later on a Pavin Smith groundout, giving the Diamondbacks all they needed to secure the victory as closer Mark Melancon earned his fourth save of the season.
Freddie Freeman also made his first error of the season in the third inning, though it proved to be inconsequential.
The Dodgers will have Thursday off before hosting the Detroit Tigers in a two-game interleague matchup. They'll send Tyler Anderson (1-0, 2.84 ERA) to the mound against Detroit's Tyler Alexander (0-2, 7.20 ERA).
