Los Angeles @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 5, Arizona 12
The difference was evident and successful.
Not a bad first day on the job for Arizona Diamondbacks interim manager Kirk Gibson, who won his debut Friday with a 12-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field.
The lineup changed – Chris Young was inserted at the top and Kelly Johnson was dropped to second – and the offense was more aggressive on the base paths (three stolen bases in five attempts).
Now what can the fiery and focused Gibson do over the next 82 games that the fired A.J. Hinch couldn’t in the first 79?
There always seems to be a heightened level of enthusiasm in the first couple of games after a managerial change, but it is rare that a team sustains it for any substantial length of time.
Hard to tell which way this team will go, but the answer could become clearer on Saturday in the second game of the series against the Dodgers.
Los Angeles entered the series after sweeping the San Francisco Giants, but fell behind, 9-3, after three innings in the opener against Arizona.
Gibson also made the decision to withhold shortstop Stephen Drew from the lineup with a sore left knee. He said it might be prolonged stay until it is completely healed. Drew had missed three of the previous five games and was replaced by Tony Abreu.
The one move that truly paid off was moving Young, who has been the team’s most consistent hitter.
The center fielder has spent most of his major-league career at the top of the order, but after a horrendous year in 2009 – he was sent down to Triple-A at one point – Young began this season at the bottom of the order and has slowly moved his way up.
He was a one-man wrecking crew against the Dodgers, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored with a stolen base and five RBIs. Young had a three-run home run in the seventh inning after Los Angeles closed to within four at 9-5.
The Diamondbacks will look to keep the good vibes going with right-hander Rodrigo Lopez (4-6, 4.42 ERA) on the mound.
Lopez has won two straight starts after going 0-4 in his previous six outings. He is facing the Dodgers for the fourth time this season after going 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA (10 earned in 20 innings).
His opposition is left-hander Clayton Kershaw (7-4, 3.19 ERA) as the second-place Dodgers lost a game in the standings to the San Diego Padres, who won on Friday to move 3 1/2 games ahead of Los Angeles.
The Dodgers are looking close out the first half of a high note. After facing the Diamondbacks, they'll finish with a seven-game homestand against the Florida Marlins and Chicago Cubs.