The Los Angeles Dodgers have been faced plenty of adversity lately, losing key players like Corey Seager and Hyun-Jin Ryu to injuries, which further contributed to the team’s slow start to the season.
The Dodgers were able to right the ship in the past couple days though, earning back-to-back victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks after losing seven of their first eight games against their division foes to begin the season.
The second win came on Thursday afternoon when the Dodgers erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring four runs in the eighth inning to secure a 5-2 victory.
Chris Taylor led off the inning with a walk, and that was followed by back-to-back singles by Chase Utley and Matt Kemp to load the bases with nobody out.
Cody Bellinger’s line drive to center field off left-handed reliever Jorge De La Rosa hung up just enough for A.J. Pollock to catch it, although it still wound up being a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
De La Rose then proceeded to lose his control, allowing two runners to advance on a balk, and then throwing two consecutive wild pitches to allow the Dodgers to take a 4-2 lead. Kyle Farmer then capped off the rally with an RBI single, resulting in the 5-2 lead that relievers Ross Stripling and Kenley Jansen were able to hold.
Alex Wood had a strong performance to keep his team in the game early, tossing five innings of one-run ball. He only allowed four hits while walking two and striking out a season-high eight batters.
Austin Barnes got the Dodgers scoring started early, taking Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin deep in the second inning for his first home run of the season. That was the only run the Dodgers could muster off Corbin, who has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this season.
