The Los Angeles Dodgers home opener was spoiled on Tuesday when they lost, 4-2, to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kenta Maeda tossed six shutout innings with four strikeouts, but the Dodgers struggled to score and their bullpen ultimately could not protect the 1-0 lead Maeda exited with.
Los Angeles, losers in four of their last five games, looks to bounce back with Alex Wood on the mound to face the Diamondbacks. The southpaw threw well for the first four innings in his previous start, but came apart in the fifth in sixth innings.
Wood ultimately was charged for five runs in five-plus innings. In his career against the Diamondbacks, Wood is 1-3 in seven games (four starts) with a 3.96 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. He had a 5.06 ERA in three starts against Arizona last season.
Former Dodgers prospect Rubby De La Rosa is on the mound for the Diamondbacks. He got hit hard in his first start of the season, allowing six runs on hits, while walking three in 3.1 innings against the Chicago Cubs. He faced the Cubs once again two days later in a relief appearance, striking out two in a perfect inning.
De La Rosa has made four career starts against the Dodgers, all in 2015, where he did not fair well. He’s 0-3 with an 11.21 ERA and has given up 28 hits in 17.2 innings.
Howie Kendrick is 10-for-18 with a home run and a double against De La Rosa in his career. He went 1-for-4 in his season debut Tuesday and scored on a suicide squeeze off the bat of A.J. Ellis. Kendrick makes his first start as a Dodger in left field Wednesday.
Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has been a Dodger killer in his career. In 77 games, he is batting .338/402/.625 with 101 hits — 20 of which are doubles and 22 are home runs — to go along with 65 RBIs. He has homered in five of his last six games at Dodger Stadium.
Yasmani Grandal makes his first start since being reinstated from the 15-day disabled list. He hit an RBI groundout as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s loss, which was his first game active.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Yasiel Puig
C: Yasmani Grandal
LF: Howie Kendrick
CF: Joc Pederson
P: Alex Wood
Diamondbacks lineup:
2B: Jean Segura
CF: Chris Owings
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
C: Welington Castillo
RF: Brandon Drury
3B: Jake Lamb
LF: Yasmany Tomas
P: Rubby De La Rosa
SS: Nick Ahmed
