The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to the win column on Sunday by defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-2, to avoid being swept. Clayton Kershaw was honored to pitch on Jackie Robinson Day, as he earned his first win of the season after allowing one run over seven innings with 12 strikeouts.
The Dodgers’ victory over the Diamondbacks was significant, as it snapped an 11-game regular-season losing streak against their divisional foe when dating back to 2017. It was the longest such drought against a single opponent in Los Angeles franchise history.
The Dodgers, of course, swept the Diamondbacks in three games in the 2017 NL Championship Series. Furthermore, Los Angeles improved to 5-9 on the year and managed to gain a game on Arizona, who currently sit at the top of the National League West with a 10-4 record.
“It’s good to get a win against anybody,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “But, yeah, these guys have had our number. They’re a good ballclub and they found ways in the regular season to come out on top against us.”
While acknowledging the Dodgers have reigned supreme over the NL West, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo felt his club made a statement of sorts with their recent run of success.
For Roberts, the stretch of losses to the Diamondbacks did nothing to his confidence. “I like our guys. I think we match up OK with those guys,” he said.
Though the Dodgers ultimately dropped the series to the Diamondbacks, there were some silver linings to takeaway as a whole. For one, the club nearly fought back from a 7-2 deficit in Friday’s contest.
That was made possible after teeing off Archie Bradley, who allowed a pair of runs in the eighth inning. The Diamondbacks were then forced to deploy closer Brad Boxberger in the ensuing frame, which was once viewed as unlikely given how the game was shaping up.
The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will next meet at the end of the month for a four-game set at Chase Field, which begins April 30.
