After dropping the opener of a four-game series at Chase Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to get back in the win column against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Friday’s matchup was the Dodgers’ second time facing Zack Greinke in 11 days.
Chase Utley wasted little time in attempting to provide a spark, pulling Greinke’s first offering down the the right-field line for a leadoff double. Utley advanced to third base on a wild pitch, and soon after scored on Justin Turner’s RBI triple.
Turner scored on passed ball and the Dodgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Greinke managed to get out of the inning. Kenta Maeda started the bottom of the first with back-to-back strikes.
His perfect opening frame ended on a Paul Goldschmidt pop-out. Brandon Drury laid out for a diving catch to rob Josh Reddick of at least a leadoff double in the second.
Howie Kendrick singled, but was stranded as Joc Pederson struck out and Maeda popped-out. The Diamondbacks’ first hit came on Welington Castillo’s one-out single in the bottom of the second.
Maeda then walked Yasmany Tomas and Brandon Drury to load the bases. But Arizona only managed to push one run across, on Mitch Haniger’s grounder to third. Maeda’s shaky command carried over to the third as Jean Segura hit a leadoff single.
However, the right-hander quickly managed to settle in and struck out the side, consistent of: Chris Owings, Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb. Adrian Gonzalez benefitted from a lucky bounce in the fourth as his grounder up the middle hit second base and kicked into left field for a leadoff single.
After Reddick drew a walk, Segura’s throw to complete an inning-ending double play sailed wide of first base. Gonzalez scored, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1. Greinke intentionally walked Pederson to face Maeda, who was robbed of a hit and potential RBI by Segura’s diving stop.
Drury singled with two outs in the bottom of of the fourth and Haniger kept the inning alive by drawing a walk. Greinke failed to help his cause, grounding out on the first pitch he saw. Greinke worked around a walk to Seager in the fifth, and retired the side in order in the sixth.
J.P. Howell replaced Maeda and promptly was removed after allowing a leadoff double to Lamb. Josh Fields walked Castillo on four pitches, but bounced right back to get Tomas swinging on three pitches.
Drury also struck out, and Haniger flied out to end the inning. Diamondbacks reliever Steve Hathaway allowed a two-out single to Utley but nothing else in the seventh. Pedro Baez gave up a one-out double to Segura in the bottom half of the inning.
Segura advanced to third base on a soft grounder, where he was stranded as Goldschmidt struck out swinging. Grant Dayton made a brief appearance, striking out Lamb to start the bottom of the eighth.
Dayton was then replaced by Joe Blanton. Castillo walked on four pitches and advanced to second base with two outs on a wild pitch. Blanton then proceeded to walk Drury and Haniger to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks Jr. grounded out, and the Dodgers’ 3-1 lead remained intact.
Owings tripled with one out and scored on Goldschmidt’s towering sacrifice fly before Kenley Jansen converted his career-high 45th save of the season in the Dodgers’ 3-2 victory.
