Troubling sign? Dodgers get beat by Arizona ‘in every facet’ in ugly series loss
PHOENIX — They couldn’t stop the running game. They didn’t play clean defense. And they failed to string together enough big hits.
In a dreadful 11-6 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, which sealed an ugly series defeat over four games at Chase Field, the Dodgers’ list of problems were numbered and varied.
“We got beat in every facet,” manager Dave Roberts acknowledged.
None, however, loomed larger than the Dodgers’ sudden, surprising and momentum-sucking inability to do the thing their organization has been best at over the last 10 years.
“The last couple of days, it’s easy to see,” Roberts said. “We didn’t pitch well.”
Dodgers run into pitching issues again in 11-6 loss to Diamondbacks
⚾ Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 6 — FINAL
Trayce Thompson hit a run-scoring single with two outs in the ninth, but it was too little, too late for the Dodgers as they dropped their third consecutive game.
Once again, Dodgers pitchers struggled. Starter Michael Grove allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits, and relievers Caleb Ferguson and Shelby Miller couldn’t stop the Arizona hit parade.
Arizona scored 31 runs over four games — the most the franchise has ever had in a single series against the Dodgers. It tallied 33 hits over the last two games.
The Dodgers continue their seven-game road trip Monday against the San Francisco Giants.
J.D. Martinez and Miguel Vargas drive in runs for Dodgers
⚾ Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 5 — End of the eighth
J.D. Martinez and Miguel Vargas each drove in runs off Arizona reliever Peter Solomon to cut into the Diamondbacks’ lead.
Martinez doubled to center field to drive in Trayce Thompson, who reached base on a walk. It was Martinez’s second extra-base hit of the game after he tripled in the third.
Vargas tripled to right on the next at-bat to score Martinez.
In the bottom of the inning, Phil Bickford strikes out Alek Thomas and Nick Ahmed to send the game into the ninth.
Diamondbacks still in control heading into the eighth inning
⚾ Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 3 — End of the seventh
Phil Bickford takes over for Shelby Miller and oversees a 1-2-3 inning for the Dodgers, striking out Christian Walker to end the frame.
Diamondbacks hold commanding lead heading into seventh
⚾ Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 3 — End of the sixth
Both the Dodgers and Diamondbacks go down in order in the first scoreless, hitless inning of the game.
Austin Barnes ejected as Diamondbacks continue to dominate
⚾ Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 3 — End of the fifth
Geraldo Perdomo slapped a two-out single to right field and Dodgers reliever Shelby Miller walked in a run as Arizona continued its domination of the Dodgers.
After the bases-loaded walk, Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes was ejected by home plate umpire Lance Barrett for apparently arguing a pitch call during Corbin Carroll’s at-bat. Will Smith replaced Barnes.
Perdomo’s hit ended Caleb Ferguson’s one-inning foray on the mound. Miller entered the game. He walked Pavin Smith to load the bases before walking Christian Walker to bring in a run.
Arizona has scored 31 runs in this series — the most its ever had in a series against the Dodgers. After recording 17 hits Saturday, the Diamondbacks have 16 so far today. They also have five stolen bases.
Michael Grove yanked after Dodgers give up three more runs
⚾ Diamondbacks 9, Dodgers 3 — End of the fourth
The hit parade continues for the Diamondbacks. Pavin Smith and Jake McCarthy each drove in runs to give Arizona a commanding lead.
Smith slapped a low, first-pitch breaking ball into the right-field corner off Michael Grove to drive in two runs. Josh Rojas and Geraldo Perdomo each singled to start the inning and scored on the double.
Caleb Ferguson relieved Grove two batters later and gave up a run-scoring single to Jake McCarthy.
Grove gave up 12 hits and nine earned runs over 3 1/3 innings. A day after the Dodgers gave up 17 hits in a loss, everyone in the Arizona lineup has at least one hit.
Diamondbacks score three runs in the third inning
⚾ Diamondbacks 6, Dodgers 3 — Third inning
Alek Thomas and Nick Ahmed each singled in runs off Michael Grove to thrust the Diamondbacks back into the lead.
Christian Walker, who got on base after doubling to right field, scored on Thomas’ single to right. Jake McCarthy and Thomas scored on Ahmed’s single to left field.
Grove is struggling. He has allowed nine hits and six earned runs. The Dodgers also look helpless against Arizona baserunning — the Diamondbacks have three stolen bases.
Dodgers score a pair of runs to tie the game in the third
⚾ Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 3 — Third inning
J.D. Martinez hit a run-scoring triple and Miguel Vargas followed with sacrifice RBI to tie up the game.
Freeman opened the inning with a single to center and then took second on a wild pitch from Ryne Nelson. Martinez’s 410-foot fly ball to deep center for his first triple as a Dodger gave Freeman plenty of time to score.
Martinez then scored when Vargas flied out to center.
Diamondbacks tack on another run in the second inning
⚾ Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 1 — End of the second
Jose Herrera hit a soft single to shallow left field, scoring Jake McCarthy from third and extending Arizona’s lead.
McCarthy doubled off Dodgers starter Michael Grove to start off the inning and advanced to third on a Nick Ahmed ground out. Grove, who has allowed six hits, is struggling a bit with location on his fastball and slider.
The Dodgers went down 1-2-3 in the top of the inning.
Diamondbacks score a pair of runs off Michael Grove in the first
⚾ Dodgers 2, Diamondbacks 1 — End of the first
Pavin Smith hit a run-scoring double and Corbin Carroll hit an RBI single to push the Diamondbacks into the lead.
Josh Rojas singled off Dodgers starter Michael Grove to center before stealing second, allowing him to get into position to score on Smith’s double to left.
Carroll followed with a single to center. James Outman’s throw to the plate was too late to prevent Smith from scoring, but Austin Barnes quickly threw to second and Miguel Rojas tagged out Carroll after he over-slid the bag.
Dodgers take early lead on David Peralta’s double
⚾ Dodgers 1, Diamondbacks 0 — First inning
David Peralta hit a run-scoring double into the left-field corner off Arizona starter Ryne Nelson to give the Dodgers an early lead.
Mookie Betts, who led off the game with a single to left, scored from first on Peralta’s hit.
After Max Muncy drew a walk, Miguel Vargas struck out and James Outman flied out to cap the frame.
Miguel Rojas returns to lineup; David Peralta bats third
PHOENIX — Miguel Rojas is back in the Dodgers lineup for the first time in a week after overcoming a groin injury, slotting back in at shortstop for the team’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
While Rojas is drawing in, the Dodgers are giving another off day to catcher Will Smith. Austin Barnes replaced him behind the plate. David Peralta, meanwhile, was bumped up to the No. 3 spot in Smith’s place.
Here is the Dodgers full lineup, as they try to salvage a four-game split at Chase Field:
Coloring books and football mentality: Inside James Outman’s major league rise
It wasn’t the most momentous development of James Outman’s young career, but Dave Roberts still felt the news was a pretty big deal.
A few nights before the start of the Dodgers’ season last week, and just days removed from making the club’s big league roster out of spring training, Outman was approached by his manager with another surprise honor for opening day.
Outman, Roberts said, would be the team’s starting center fielder for the first game of the year.
And while the 25-year-old rookie was grateful for the opportunity, he offered little other visual reaction.
“He sort of straight-faced me,” Roberts later said with a laugh. “He kind of gave me a nod while chewing his bubble gum, and that was it. It was good. I liked that.”
Noah Syndergaard’s struggles doom Dodgers in loss: ‘Just poor execution’
PHOENIX — Every time the Dodgers’ offense inched a small step forward Saturday night, their pitching staff quickly took a disastrous step back.
That was the story of the team’s 12-8 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which the Dodgers squandered an early four-run lead and failed to capitalize on an 11-hit, five-walk display from their lineup.
Noah Syndergaard was the main culprit, yielding six runs in a four-inning outing derailed by two-out rallies and center-cut changeups. The bullpen wasn’t much better, combining for six earned runs to extinguish any late-game comeback bid.
Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.
