Dodgers sneer at more logic with 4-1 victory over Diamondbacks
Maybe logic and the Dodgers just aren’t going to meet up this season.
They were expected to be a mediocre team, and then for almost three months claimed baseball’s best record. Bodies started falling, they lost 11 of 12 games and fell out of first.
They lost another starter Thursday when they learned shortstop Dee Gordon would need thumb surgery and be out approximately six weeks.
Only by the night’s end, they had cobbled together another win -– 4-1 over the Diamondbacks –- and were back leading the National League West by 1½ games following their third consecutive victory and the San Francisco Giants’ third consecutive loss.
The Dodgers managed this one behind a rookie right-hander, Nathan Eovaldi, who hadn’t won a game in his first seven starts of the season, and a lot of guys who are supposed to be calling triple-A Albuquerque home.
The Dodgers opened the scoring for the second consecutive night by putting together four consecutive hits in the first inning behind their makeshift lineup.
The Dodgers got to Arizona rookie Wade Miley (9-5) in the first after Mark Ellis, making his first start in seven weeks after returning from a leg injury, hit a one-out double.
Jerry Hairston Jr., batting third, singled Ellis to third and Juan Rivera doubled him home. Luis Cruz, in Albuquerque a few days ago, singled home Hairston.
Eovaldi skirted trouble most of the night, but the Diamondbacks –- losers of six consecutive games -– got back a run in the second inning on a Paul Goldschmidt double and Stephen Drew single.
The Dodgers padded their lead with a pair of solo home runs, one from struggling rookie Scott Van Slyke and another from rookie Elian Herrera, the first of his career. Both are supposed to be in Albuquerque.
It marked the Dodgers’ first multi-homer game since May 21.
Eovaldi (1-6) went six innings, giving up the one run on five hits and three walks while striking out three.
Scott Elbert, Ronald Belisario and Kenley Jansen each pitched a perfect inning of relief. Jansen struck out the side on 11 pitches in the ninth to earn his 18th save.
RELATED:
Dodgers lose Dee Gordon to thumb surgery, out six weeks
Dee Gordon faces thumb operation: ‘It’s how the year’s been’
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