A frustrating weekend for the Los Angeles Dodgers ended with a third consecutive loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks as they fell 11-6 in the series finale at Chase Field on Easter Sunday.
The Dodgers again jumped out to an early lead but relinquished it after Michael Grove became the latest starter to struggle. The Diamondbacks went ahead for good in the third inning and never looked back from there.
Austin Barnes was behind the plate to give Will Smith a day off after starting in seven of the team’s first nine games this season. However, Barnes was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home-plate umpire Lance Barrett, which forced Smith to finish out the game.
Barnes felt he needed to defend Dodgers pitchers but also expressed a sense of disappointment in himself for Smith having to play on a scheduled off day, via SportsNet LA:
“I don’t want to really get into it too much. It’s unfortunate to get tossed, especially on Willie’s day off. Make him go in there, is not ideal. But I felt like I had to stick up for our pitchers a little bit. Obviously the game wasn’t going our way. Some close calls, just a little frustrated with not being able to get our pitchers through those innings. But I can’t get thrown out there, especially on a day off for Will.”
Barnes added that he was taken aback by Barrett ejecting him:
“Yeah, I was a little surprised. But he felt a certain way, I guess, and he threw me out.”
Barnes starting on Sunday was with an eye on Smith potentially being behind the plate for all three games against the San Francisco Giants this week. Though, with Smith essentially playing half of the series finale against the Diamondbacks, it remains to be seen if that plan will come to fruition.
Josh Rojas believes Dodgers felt pressure from Diamondbacks
The Dodgers have dropped five of eight matchups against the Diamondbacks thus far, and Josh Rojas believes the team did an excellent job at applying pressure on the defending National League West champions.
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