With Zack Greinke's injury, Hyun-Jin Ryu now becomes a huge factor for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Korean right-hander goes after a second straight win on Saturday when the Dodgers continue a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Ryu picked up the first big league win of his career on Sunday against Pittsburgh, as he surrendered two runs, three hits and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings. He has pitched to a 2.13 ERA in two starts this year.
"I'm just happy that the team won," Ryu said through interpreter Martin Kim. "I had made a few promises to some people back in Korea that I would get my first win today, and I'm just happy I kept the promise."
Arizona, meanwhile, will counter with righty Ian Kennedy, who is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA. Kennedy did not get a decision his last time out on Sunday in Milwaukee, as he surrendered four runs and seven hits in six innings of an 8-7 win.
Kennedy is 5-2 lifetime versus the Dodgers with a 3.24 ERA in eight starts.
Arizona added to Los Angeles' misery in Friday's opener, as Patrick Corbin scattered three hits over six scoreless innings of three-hit ball to help the Diamondbacks to a 3-0 win. Martin Prado knocked in a run and registered two of Arizona's six hits, while Paul Goldschmidt added an RBI for Arizona, which has won two straight.
Corbin (2-0) fanned four and walked three in the start, while Brad Ziegler and David Hernandez each tossed a inning in relief. J.J. Putz kept the Dodgers off the board in the ninth to secure his second save of the season.
"He was throwing the ball really well," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said of Corbin. "He had great command. He was solid the whole game and threw the ball very well."
Just hours before the start of this series Los Angeles learned that Greinke's broken collarbone would require surgery and he'd be sidelined at least eight weeks.
Clayton Kershaw (2-1) was a tough-luck loser, as the lanky left-hander, who had spun 16.0 scoreless innings over his first two starts, was charged with all three runs on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts over 7 1/3 frames.
"It was a battle for me tonight," Kershaw admitted. "They did a good job, worked some counts and got my pitch count up a little bit. It was just a frustrating night."
Arizona, which was 12-6 against the Dodgers last season, has beaten L.A. three straight times and has taken 11 of the last 13 in the series.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.