D-backs 8, Dodgers 5: Arizona now just 14 games back

The Dodgers started a seven-game road trip in Arizona as winners of six straight and featuring a duel of former teammates Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.

Well we didn’t get either a pitchers’ duel or an extension of a winning streak as the Diamondbacks prevailed 8-5 over the Dodgers.

——

Despite the duel hype, the fireworks on offense got started early.

The Dodgers got singles from Joc Pederson and Justin Turner in the 1st to start the rally, and Cody Bellinger took advantage by ripping a double into the gap for a run.

Max Muncy then grounded out to plate another run, and Chris Taylor doubled to make it 3-0.

Kershaw unfortunately gave that right back with a three-run bomb to Christian Walker in the 1st, and then gave up the lead to Greinke himself on a lined homer in the 2nd to make it 4-3 for the D-backs.

Thankfully, Kershaw did well after that poor start, giving the Dodgers six innings and allowing no other runs. He allowed seven hits and a walk, and just having two strikeouts probably indicates where his stuff was at today (not great). But he kept the Dodgers in it.

That proved important in the 7th when the Dodgers rallied behind singles from Kyle Garlick and Alex Verdugo, and the bases were loaded with two outs after Bellinger was intentionally walked. That didn’t quite work out as Muncy then walked to tie the game at 4-4, and CT3 should’ve walked instead of struck out.

But so it goes, I guess.

After Yimi Garcia got a scoreless 7th, Dylan Floro had a disaster of an 8th, giving up four singles and a walk en route to giving up four runs, which eventually lost the game. JT Chargois had to enter just to complete the inning, and while he gave up a walk he ended the nightmare.

The Dodgers got a run in the 9th behind a JT hit by pitch and a Muncy single, but that was it for any rally as they finally lost a game.

——

The Dodgers are now 54-26 on the year.