The Los Angeles Dodgers opened up a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night at Dodger Stadium looking to snap a nine-game regular season losing streak to their division rivals.
That was not the case though, as Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda struggled to get deep into the game, leading to an 8-7 loss.
Thr Diamondbacks got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning on an RBi-single by Daniel Descalso to score David Peralta. The Dodgers got that run back in the bottom of the first inning though on a leadoff home run by Chris Taylor. That marked Taylor’s second leadoff home run in his last three games.
Maeda ran into some trouble in the top of the third inning, as with two runners on base he induced who could have been a 1-6-3 double play ball. Maeda’s throw to Corey Seager at second was wide though so everyone was safe. Maeda then threw two wild pitches, allowing two runs to score, and then a sacrifice fly and two more hits led to two more runs scoring.
Maeda was not able to get out of the third inning, giving up five hits and five runs (two earned) in 2.2 innings, striking out and walking two.
Unlike Maeda, Greinke settled in after giving up a run in the first inning and retired 12 straight batters from the second to the fifth inning.
Cody Bellinger broke up Greinke’s rhythm a bit in the bottom of the sixth as he launched his second home run of the season to right field, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
Any momentum the Dodgers may have gained from that was immediately taken away in the top of the seventh though on a two-run home run off the bat of Daniel Descalso off of Tony Cingrani to extend Arizona’s lead to 7-2.
The Dodgers showed some fight in the bottom of the seventh, putting together a rally that included RBI-singles from Taylor, Corey Seager and Matt Kemp to cut the deficit to 7-5.
Again, the Diamondbacks kept the Dodgers from gaining momentum though as Nick Ahmed hit a solo shot off J.T. Chargois in the eighth to put Arizona’s lead at 8-5.
In what became one of the most entertaining games of the season so far, of course, the Dodgers had a response in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases load and one out pinch-hitter Chase Utley hit what looked like it could’ve been an inning-ending double play, but instead, the ball hit the second base bag and went into left field, allowing two runs to score.
Taylor followed with an inning-ending double play though, so the Dodgers deficit was 8-7 going into the ninth inning.
Brad Boxberger came in to get the save in the bottom of the ninth though and tossed a scoreless inning to complete the victory.
