Dodgers Fall a Bit Short

While it was a game of blown chances for the Dodgers, it was one of cashed-in opportunities for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The result was a 4-2 Diamondback victory in front of 25,552 at Dodger Stadium on Monday night in the opener of the four-game series, extending Arizona’s win streak over the Dodgers to four.

“Yuck. [Darren] Dreifort pitched well but we didn’t make plays we should have made,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said. “We had opportunities but things didn’t go our way and we weren’t able to capitalize on them.”

Not only did the Dodgers botch a potential inning-ending double play worse than actor Jon Lovitz butchered the starting lineups during pregame festivities, but they also failed to score after loading the bases with no out in the sixth.

The third-place Dodgers (33-28) fell four games behind the National League West Division-leading Diamondbacks (38-25) with the loss. Plus, the Dodgers are an uninspiring 14-14 at Chavez Ravine this season.

“They wound up coming through when they needed to,” left-fielder Gary Sheffield said of the Diamondbacks. “We didn’t get guys in scoring position when we needed to. Our offense didn’t come through at the right time.”

Kevin Elster agreed.

“We had our opportunities and we didn’t cash in,’ said the shortstop, who had a solo home run in the fourth inning. “It’s that simple.”

Dreifort, who took the loss to fall to 4-4, gave up four runs, three earned, and five hits. He also struck out five and walked two, but threw two wild pitches.

Arizona starter Brian Anderson improved to 6-1 after going six innings and limiting the Dodgers to two runs and eight hits. Anderson struck out four and walked two.

Byung-Hyun Kim worked a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save for Arizona, which had dropped 11 of its previous 13 road games, including five straight, before Monday’s game.

“That bullpen is filthy,” Elster said. “That closer is filthy.”

The Dodgers led after one.

Outfielder Shawn Gilbert led off with a walk, went to second on Mark Grudzielanek’s single and moved to third when Shawn Green grounded into a double play.

Gilbert scored on Sheffield’s single to right, his 50th run batted in of the season.

But Arizona claimed the lead in an eventful third inning.

Turner Ward led off with a double to the right-center gap and after Kelly Stinnett walked, Anderson dropped a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position with one out.

Tony Womack singled in Ward before the Dodgers blew the double play.

Former Dodger Craig Counsell grounded hard to Grudzielanek, who fed Elster at second. But Womack’s slide forced Elster to make a throw that went way offline and nearly into the new Dugout Club seats, allowing Stinnett to score for the 2-1 Arizona lead.

Catcher Chad Kreuter gave chase to the ball, diving for it on the unforgiving synthetic track. He appeared to injure his thumb, prompting assistant trainer Matt Wilson to make an on-field visit. Kreuter remained in the game, however.

The Diamondbacks padded their lead to 3-1 in the fourth and Elster got the Dodgers within 3-2 with his solo blast to the left-center pavilion on a first-pitch offering from Anderson. It was Elster’s 10th homer.

Travis Lee’s shot to right-center in the sixth just cleared the wall for his seventh homer, putting Arizona up by two, 4-2, in the sixth.

It was then that the Dodgers blew their golden opportunity.

After loading the bases with no out on three straight singles in the bottom of the sixth, Kreuter bounced into a 1-2-3 double play and Jose Vizcaino chased a fastball to strike out and end the inning with runners at second and third.

The deflated Dodgers never threatened again.