Diamondbacks-Dodgers Recap: Dodger Domination

Sep 5, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher

(54) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks should be glad they don’t have to see the Los Angeles Dodgers anymore. Getting swept by the Dodgers this weekend at Chavez Ravine gave them a 4-15 mark against their most bitter rival in 2014. This particular series was close until late in the third game which is no constellation prize for a Major League Baseball team.

I had a hunch that when Vidal Nuno got his start pushed back to Friday, that the Snakes’ bats would go quiet for him after they banged out 21 hits over the previous two games.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t wrong as Nuno gave yet another tremendous effort and came out on the losing end of a 2-1 decision. After allowing Matt Kemp‘s solo home run to lead off the third inning, he retired the next 14 batters, going seven innings and allowing only two runs. His is now 0-5 with a 3.11 ERA in 11 starts. The only time the D’backs did anything against Dan Haren was the fifth when A.J. Pollock led off with a single before Jake Lamb doubled him to third. Didi Gregorius‘ sacrifice fly produced the only run of the game for Arizona. After that, the only base runner for the D’backs was Chris Owings via a walk.

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On Saturday, it was more of the same. It looked as though Chase Anderson would be in for a long evening. He allowed a Dee Gordon double, and after Hanley Ramirez popped out, a two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez. That was followed by a hard single by Kemp. Then after that, he allowed only a Gordon single over the next five innings. Arizona managed to tie the game at two in the seventh as they finally solved Hyun-jin Ryu. After an Aaron Hill single, Cody Ross doubled him home and was plated on a single by Pollock. Daniel Hudson, making his second appearance, came on in the eighth and gave up a leadoff infield single to Juan Uribe. After Joc Pederson sent Nolan Reimold to the left field wall for the first out, Hudson got Justin Turner to slowly ground to Hill at third. However, instead of getting Turner out at first, Hill tried to force the pinch runner Roger Bernadina at second. Bernadina beat the throw and after getting Andre Ethier to fly out, Hudson gave up the go-ahead single to Gordon. Will Harris came on in relief and promptly gave up a two run double to Ramirez. The Dodgers prevailed by a score of 5-2.

In Sunday’s finale, Arizona actually took a 2-0 lead after three innings as Gregorius singled home Ross in the second and Ross brought home Ender Inciarte in the third. However, after allowing only two walks and no hits through five innings, Trevor Cahill cracked. After getting Carl Crawford to line out, Gordon doubled, Ramirez walked and then Gonzalez continued torturing the Snakes by blasting a three run home run to put LA up for good. Oliver Perez had a rare disastrous outing as he gave up another three-run shot to Gonzalez followed by a solo homer by Kemp. After he plunked Ethier, Dodger manager Don Mattingly and pitcher Clayton Kershaw were ejected for what they felt was Perez purposely hitting him. Los Angeles won by a final of 7-2.

The D’backs continue their trek up the California coast with a stop in San Francisco to play the Giants for three games beginning Tuesday night. Arizona is now 59-84 with 19 games remaining.