Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Wade Miley strikes out eight in Opening Day loss

Mar 22, 2014, 11:56 AM | Updated: 2:29 pm

For a guy who wasn’t even expected to make the 15-hour trip to Australia, left-hander Wade Miley had himself a nice outing in the Arizona Diamdonbacks’ 3-1 season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Miley, who was called upon at the last minute to replace Patrick Corbin as the D-backs’ Opening Day starter, gave up three earned runs on three hits Saturday but also struck out eight batters — tying the single-game season high he recorded three different times in 2013.

After a perfect opening inning in which he struck out the first two Dodgers batters he faced, the Arizona southpaw got into some trouble with a lead-off walk of Adrian Gonzalez in the second. Left fielder Scott Van Slyke made Miley pay three pitches later, as he belted a 1-1 fastball to the left field wall.

Because the wind was blowing in, Van Slyke’s long fly ball stayed in the yard — a result that seemed to surprise D-backs left fielder Mark Trumbo, who attempted to make a play on it only to come up noticeably empty-handed.

Two batters later, Andre Either scored Gonzalez on an RBI groundout for the game’s first run.

After another perfect frame by Miley in the third inning, Van Slyke got the best of the D-backs left-hander yet again. Following a wild pitch that allowed Gonzalez to reach first on a strikeout, the Dodgers 27-year-old outfielder sliced a 1-1 offering just inside the right field foul pole for a two-run shot.

Miley didn’t allow another run the rest of the evening, as he managed to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth with a timely inning-ending strikeout.

In all, Miley threw 54 of his 83 pitches for strikes but took the loss for Arizona — just his second against Los Angeles in eight career starts.

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Bob Wardle, left, and his daughter Liz Sargant arrive at the Sydney Cricket Ground where the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks is scheduled in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The teams line up for the national anthems before the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Diamondbacks' Wade Miley throws the first pitch from the opening game of the 2014 Major League Baseball season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

THe Diamondbacks' Marin Prado grounds out to third in the first inning of the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Juan Uribe strikes out in the second inning of the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Yasiel Puig fouls a ball as the Diamondbacks' catcher Miguel Montero reaches out in the first inning of Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' third baseman Juan Uribe, right, throws out Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock, center, during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw throws his first pitch of the Major League Baseball 2014 season during the opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Scott Van Slyke, right, is congratulated by teammate Adrian Gonzalez after Van Slyke hit a two-run home run in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A high ball goes past the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' Didi Gregorius, right, walks away after he was called out by umpire Tim Welke, left, and the Dodgers' catcher A.J. Ellis exchange balls during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, is pulled from the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' outfielder Mark Trumbo can't get to a line drive from the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' first baseman Paul Goldschmidt picks up a grounder from the Dodgers' Andre Ethier in the top of the 9th inning in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Kenley Jansen tosses the ball to first for the last out the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Los Angeles Dodgers' A.J. Ellis, left, Adrian Gonzalez, second left, Kenley Jansen and Juan Uribe, right, celebrate their win in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

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