Los Angeles, CA – The Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to edge the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium.
Martin Prado singled and Gerardo Parra doubled to put runners at second and third with one out in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel then ripped a hard- hit grounder into the hole on the right side. Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis made a diving attempt and stopped the ball, but couldn't field it cleanly, allowing Prado to score.
After Didi Gregorious walked to load the bases, Dodgers closer Brandon League got A.J. Pollock to pop out. Willie Bloomquist, though, ripped a grounder up the middle. LA shortstop Nick Punto was able to get his glove on the ball, but it skipped away and Parra and pinch-runner Josh Wilson scored to give Arizona a 4-3 lead.
"I tried to hit something up the middle. I'm not going to complain where that hit went, but the results were good," said Bloomquist. "We battled the whole game and this was a big momentum swing for us."
Paul Goldschmidt followed with an RBI single to left to make it a two-run game.
In the home half, Juan Uribe worked a full-count before cracking a leadoff homer to make it 5-4. Tim Federowicz followed with a double before moving to third on Prado's fielding error on Skip Schumaker's sacrifice bunt.
D'backs closer Heath Bell was able to retire the next three batters, though, to nail down the save.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Mark Ellis walked then moved to second on Yasiel Puig's base hit. Jerry Hairston followed with a base hit to center to bring Ellis around.
Arizona bounced back with a run in the second. Cody Ross doubled before coming around on a Miguel Montero single. It was the last run the D'backs managed to get off LA starter Clayton Kershaw, however, as the southpaw allowed just three more hits the rest of the way.
"Clayton took us as far as he could tonight," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Kershaw, who just one run on six hits over seven strong frames. "Brandon (League) wasn't very good. This is not a good way to start the series. This one hurts, it is a two-game swing."
Uribe smacked an RBI double in the fourth and Ellis clubbed a solo homer in the fifth to put the Dodgers up 3-1.
Game Notes
Arizona made a series of roster moves on Monday. pitchers Joe Paterson and Charles Brewer were recalled from Triple-A Reno, pitcher Matt Reynolds was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left elbow strain and pitcher Tyler Skaggs was optioned to Reno ... Arizona is 2-2 when trailing after eight innings ... Three of the Los Angeles' last four games have been decided by one run ... Schumaker had his 15-game hitting streak snapped.
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