After losing the first two games at Chase Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers responded with consecutive wins. Their play was reminiscent of what the club showed throughout last season en route to winning an MLB-best 104 games.
By splitting four games, the Dodgers snapped the Arizona Diamondbacks’ streak of series wins this season at nine. Los Angeles erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring four runs in the eighth inning.
The Dodgers have been forced to deal with a couple key injuries this past week. Corey Seager will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season, and Hyun-Jin Ryu left his start on Wednesday with a strained groin that will keep him out until at least the All-Star break.
They almost suffered another scare on Thursday, when the Dodgers trainers came out to look at Alex Wood in the fifth inning after he was seen stretching out his leg. Luckily, Wood was able to stay in the game and complete the inning before being removed due to his pitch count reaching 96.
After the game, it was explained that Wood simply dealt with a cramp in his hamstring. As for the Dodgers notching consecutive wins, Wood felt they were of high importance, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“We’ve played really good ball these last two days, and had two really big wins,” starting pitcher Alex Wood said. “As big a win as you can have in April and to the beginning of May.”
Wood did his part to help the Dodgers leave Arizona with a positive feeling. He allowed just one run on five hits and set a season high with eight strikeouts.
The Dodgers’ win left them seven games back of the Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West standings as opposed to trailing them by nine games.
Wood remains winless on the season at 0-3, but his 0.93 WHIP ranks sixth among qualified NL starters.
