Arrieta Sharp, Phillies Beat Dodgers 6-1; Maeda Strains Hip
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jake Arrieta put the Philadelphia Phillies back on control.
A day after a tough loss, the Phillies bounced back Tuesday night as Arrieta finished off one of the better months of his impressive career with a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arrieta did exactly what the Phillies envisioned when they signed him to a three-year, $75 million deal in March. He delivered his third scoreless outing this May, helping the Phillies end a four-game losing streak at Dodger Stadium and win in Los Angeles for the first time since 2016.
Arrieta (5-2) gave up six hits over seven innings, while striking out five, as he won for the second time in his career at Chavez Ravine. The other victory was his 2015 no-hitter as a member of the Chicago Cubs.
"It's LA. It's hard to not enjoy coming here with the great weather and good atmosphere always," Arrieta said. "It's a great playing surface, good mound, good visuals. It's a really fun place for me to come specifically, but I think everybody likes it here."
Not everyone on the Phillies had a great time. Backup infielder Pedro Florimon broke his right foot when he fouled a ball off it in the first inning.
Florimon finished the at-bat and popped up before leaving. There is no timetable for his return and Florimon said he will return to Philadelphia to be re-examined and learn if he will need surgery.
"That's the life, you know," said Florimon, who suffered a dislocated ankle late last season while stepping on first base. "Hopefully I'm going to be ready soon."
The Dodgers had an injury concern, too.
Two batters after Nick Williams hit a leadoff homer in the second, starter Kenta Maeda appeared to be in some discomfort after giving up a one-out double to Jorge Alfaro.
Maeda received two visits from the Dodgers' medical staff, one after Alfaro's at-bat and the other after he struck out Arrieta. Maeda (4-4) was removed from the game with two outs in the second inning and was replaced by left-hander Scott Alexander.
Maeda was diagnosed with a strained left hip.
"I felt it at the end of my last outing," Maeda said through a translator. "In between this outing and that one, it felt pretty good until I started pitching in this game. It's something that was getting considerably better and it was really not much of a concern. I think I won't be out a long time, but I'll have to see what the MRI says."
Arrieta was on cruise control most of the night, retiring the first six batters before Logan Forsythe singled in the third. All six hits he gave up were singles and the Dodgers advanced just three runners to second base against him, with one coming on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball.
"He's been really dependable early in the season and we certainly look forward to his starts for that reason," manager Gabe Kapler said. "We expect that we're going to get length, we expect that we're going to get efficiency, we expect that he will be composed and the moment's not going to be too big for him."
In five May starts, Arrieta gave up a combined three earned runs, good for a 0.90 ERA. It was Arrieta's second consecutive scoreless outing after he blanked the Atlanta Braves over 6 2/3 innings last Wednesday. He also held the New York Mets scoreless over 7 1/3 innings on May 11.
The last time Arrieta finished a month with an ERA under 1.00 was September 2015 (0.45). The last time a Phillies qualifying pitcher ended a month with an ERA under 1.00 was Cliff Lee in August of 2011 (0.45).
The first three Phillies batters reached base against Alexander, with Odubel Herrera connecting on a two-run single to right-center field that gave Philadelphia a 3-0 lead.
With Maeda only able to record four outs, the Dodgers used six different relievers. Not only was Alexander charged with a run, Pedro Baez gave up a run in the sixth inning and Daniel Hudson gave up two in the ninth.
Justin Turner spoiled the shutout in the eighth inning with an RBI single off reliever Hector Neris, as Dodgers lost for just the third time in their last 12 games.
"He sunk the ball in and used his sinker really well tonight to right-handed hitters and had his slider," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Arrieta. "The velocity was good, east to west with the slider and sinker all night long."
MAX EFFORT FROM MUNCY
Max Muncy did not join the Dodgers' roster until mid-April, and he already is proving to be a player the club can't live without. Muncy had two more hits Tuesday, including the Dodgers' only extra-base hit of the game.
Not only has Cody Bellinger moved to center field so that Muncy can start at first base against right-handed pitching, the Dodgers are planning to get Muncy some time at second base as well.
This was Muncy's fifth multihit game, and in his last 17 games going back to May 10, he has batted .313 with a .414 on-base percentage and a .667 slugging percentage. He also has five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBIs in that stretch.
ALL HAIL CESAR'S BUSY NIGHT
Phillies leadoff man Cesar Hernandez reached base all five times he came to the plate, going 2 for 2 with three walks to tie a career high. The effort came one night after he hit a three-run home run.
It was also a revenge game of sorts for Hernandez, who misplayed a late popup Monday that helped the Dodgers to a comeback victory. During 12 road games in May, Hernandez is batting .333 (15 for 45) with six runs, five doubles and a .348 OBP.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Rhys Hoskins cleared concussion testing and had no jaw or dental issues after being hit in the face with his own foul ball in the ninth inning Monday, then delivered a pinch-hit double in the ninth inning Tuesday. ... RHP Pat Neshek (strained right forearm) threw a bullpen before the game and will be reevaluated.
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (left middle finger blister) threw a between-start bullpen after a simulated game over the weekend, but continues to pitch with a protective covering over the affected finger. ... LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (left groin strain) played long toss at 200 feet and remains in line to return in July. ... LHP Alex Wood, who has left two of his last four starts this season with cramping, is being evaluated, but Roberts considered it "minor."
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