D-backs’ Patrick Corbin sets career-high by striking out 12 Dodgers

Six times in his career, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Patrick Corbin has produced 10 strikeouts in a game.

Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, he finally eclipsed his career mark.

A strikeout of first baseman Kike Hernandez for the third out of the seventh inning gave Corbin 11 strikeouts on the day, and the left-hander finished with 12 total in a one-hit shutout before being pulled in the D-backs’ 3-0 win.

The victory moved Arizona to 5-1 on the season and completed a sweep of the Dodgers.

Manager Torey Lovullo removed Corbin an out into the eighth inning  after the pitcher’s 98th toss of the day walked Matt Kemp, who was the only baserunner to reach against Corbin. Kemp had previously hit a double to right field in the fifth inning.

While Corbin’s first two punchouts came via his fastball, he got the next 10 with his slider, a pitch he used nearly half the time in an Opening Day victory against the Colorado Rockies last Thursday.

Two innings into the game, Corbin passed Ian Kennedy on the D-backs’ all-time strikeout list and now sits in fourth place with 671 in his career. He trails Randy Johnson (2,077), Brandon Webb (1,065) and Curt Schilling (875).

Struggling to make decent contact against Corbin, Los Angeles grounded out seven times against the D-backs’ starter and flew out twice.

It was also a successful day at the plate for Corbin, who hit a single and a double while scoring a run.

Corbin led off the third inning with the double and eventually scored, giving Arizona a 3-0 lead. All of those runs were scored via lead-off doubles to begin each of the first three frames.

Follow @kzimmermanaz