Field Level Media
May 3, 2018
Los Angeles scored the tying and go-ahead runs on wild pitches in a four-run eighth inning, and Austin Barnes homered in the Dodgers' 5-2 victory over Arizona on Wednesday in Phoenix.
The Dodgers prevented the Diamondbacks from becoming the first team in 111 years to win its first 10 series of a season. Los Angeles took the final two games at Chase Field to split the four-game set.
Chris Taylor walked to open the eighth inning off Arizona reliever Fernando Salas (3-2) before Chase Utley and Matt Kemp singled to load the bases. Jorge De La Rosa entered and gave up a sacrifice fly to Cody Bellinger before balking the runners up a base and intentionally walking Barnes.
With Kyle Farmer batting, De La Rosa threw consecutive wild pitches as Utley and Kemp scored for a 4-2 lead. The first wild pitch caromed off catcher Jeff Mathis all the way to third base. Farmer singled to left to make it 5-2.
A.J. Pollock and Ketel Marte had two hits apiece for Arizona. The Diamondbacks were chasing the mark of the 1907 Chicago Cubs, who opened the season with 11 straight series victories.
J.T. Chargois (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his fifth save, his second in as many days. The Dodgers had lost seven of nine.
Barnes homered in the second inning for a 1-0 Los Angeles lead, his second homer in five plate appearances against Arizona starter Patrick Corbin.
Corbin singled in Marte to tie it in the last of the second inning, and Arizona scored an unearned run for 2-1 lead in the sixth. Paul Goldschmidt reached on an error by third baseman Farmer and scored after singles by Pollock and Marte.
Corbin gave up three hits and one run in six innings, with five strikeouts and two walks. He has given up four hits and one run in 13 1/3 innings in his two prior starts against the Dodgers this season.
Los Angeles left-hander Alex Wood gave up four hits and one run in five innings, striking out eight and walking two. Wood won his first 11 decisions in a breakout 2017 but does not have a victory in six starts this season.
Arizona right fielder Steven Souza Jr. was 0-for-4 in his first game of the season. He missed the first five weeks after sustaining a pectoral muscle injury while diving for a ball late in spring training.
The Dodgers are expected to promote right-hander Walker Buehler from the minors to start Friday in the first game of a three-game series against San Diego in Monterrey, Mexico. Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu sustained a Grade 2 left groin strain in his start Wednesday and will be out until after the All-Star break, manager Dave Roberts said.
--Field Level Media