The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to display no fear when it comes to facing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They will get another chance to show it in the middle contest of a three-game series on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
The Diamondbacks opened the series Monday by scoring seven runs in the first three innings before finishing off a 9-5 victory over the Dodgers. After the teams split a four-game series at Arizona less than two weeks ago, the Diamondbacks now lead the season series 3-2.
Perhaps more impressive is that Arizona has won five of its past six games at Los Angeles going back to May of last season, with a 48-21 advantage in runs over that stretch.
“This group is raised from the minute they walk into this clubhouse … to have the mentality that we don’t back down from anybody,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “… The Dodgers always represent an incredible challenge. They’re a great team; they’re a great franchise. And I’m proud of the way our guys come into this venue and play their best baseball. That’s always our design.”
Gabriel Moreno continues to do damage against the Dodgers. He has hit safely in 10 of his past 12 games against Los Angeles after hitting a home run in the third inning Monday. He now has four home runs in 21 career games against the Dodgers.
On Tuesday, the Diamondbacks will send right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-1, 5.13 ERA) to the mound in just his second start of the season. In two previous starts against Los Angeles, he is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA.
The Dodgers will counter with their top starter in right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-3, 2.12). His worst start of the season came May 8 at Arizona when he gave up five runs on five hits in five innings with one walk and four strikeouts. He gave up home runs to Moreno and Ketel Marte.
Yamamoto went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts last season against the Diamondbacks.
Mookie Betts hit two home runs for the Dodgers on Monday and went back-to-back with Shohei Ohtani on one of them. Betts has eight home runs on the season, while Ohtani leads the major leagues with 17.
The Dodgers are mired in a season-long four-game losing streak.
“We haven’t given up but you’re going to go through certain situations like this,” Betts said. “It’s just tough. We have to find a way to get back healthy and get our guys back out there.”
The Dodgers did see outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (groin) return from the injured list Monday after Tommy Edman (ankle) came back over the weekend.
Yet it has been the pitching that has left the Dodgers on their losing skid after giving up 32 runs over the past four games.
“I think we’ve got to start being more efficient, certainly from the starters, to give us an opportunity to get deeper into games,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The 30-pitch innings just don’t play. It’s not sustainable. And that starts with getting strike one. That ultimately goes to our entire pitching staff.”
With three starters on the injured list, the Dodgers used rookie Jack Dreyer as a two-inning opener with second-year right-hander Landon Knack picking up five innings. That duo allowed the seven runs over the first three innings.
–Field Level Media
