Field Level Media
May 3, 2018
Los Angeles rookie left fielder Alex Verdugo had two doubles and scored twice, Cody Bellinger had two singles, and the Dodgers survived an early exit by left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu for a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday in Phoenix.
Ryu, who had been the Dodgers' best pitcher the first month of the season, left with a strained left groin in the second inning, and five relievers combined to give up one run in 7 2/3 innings as Los Angeles broke a four-game losing streak.
A.J. Pollock had two hits and John Ryan Murphy had a two-out, run scoring single in the ninth inning as the Diamondbacks (21-9) remained tied for the best start in franchise history despite the loss, their second in seven games.
Ryu came up limping after his first pitch to Deven Marrero in the second inning and was replaced by Pedro Baez. Ryu entered the game with a 3-0 record, a 2.22 ERA and a .152 batting average against.
Baez pitched a career-high 2 2/3 innings, Daniel Hudson (1-0) retired all six batters he faced for the win, and Kenley Jansen gave up one run before stranding the tying run at second for his fourth save.
The Diamondbacks threatened in the eighth, when David Peralta doubled and took third on a flyout, and Paul Goldschmidt walked with one out. Dodgers shortstop Enrique Hernandez backhanded a sharp one-hopper by Pollock to start an inning-ending double play. Pollock had four homers in the first two games of the series.
Verdugo doubled with one out in the first inning and scored on Bellinger's single after Yasmani Grandal walked.
Verdugo doubled with one out in the eighth inning, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Grandal's sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
Arizona right-hander Zack Godley (4-2) gave up five hits and one run in six innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. Godley benefitted from inning-ending double plays in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning before Verdugo grounded into a double play, and Matt Kemp hit into double plays in the first and the sixth.
--Field Level Media