Diamondbacks win season series vs. Dodgers for 1st time since 2018

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks have accomplished something they had not done since 2018: win their season series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Sunday’s rubber match at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff led by Eduardo Rodriguez shut down the Dodgers’ offense for a 4-2 victory.

Rodriguez threw seven innings with two runs allowed, while Kevin Ginkel picked up his first save of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

The D-backs won seven of their 13 games played against the Dodgers this season despite Los Angeles’ gargantuan payroll and status as back-to-back champions.

“We can compete with anybody, anytime,” manager Torey Lovullo said pregame. “We’ve talked to these players about that from the time they’ve been entering the system or entering this organization from another. You stand your ground no matter who we’re playing and embrace every challenge. … The Dodgers are a good team. I don’t want to deny that. When I focus on our dugout, and I think that’s what the guys do, they take it personal that they might be overlooked. They’re a little edgy.”

The Diamondbacks leaned on Rodriguez for 115 pitches, 10 more than anyone has thrown for Arizona this season.

With the series on the line and to help a taxed bullpen, Rodriguez was a workhorse who held the Dodgers to five hits with a season-high nine strikeouts. He drew 17 whiffs, 11 with the changeup (55%, a season high).

In the history of the Diamondbacks, there have been 283 regular season games when a pitcher threw at least 115 pitches. Two of those are in the 2020s: Zac Gallen in 2022 and Rodriguez on Sunday.

In Major League Baseball, there had been four such outings this season. There were only four last season.

The Diamondbacks’ starting rotation dominated the Dodgers during this series, as Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt and Rodriguez combined for 19.2 innings and three earned runs.

In general, the Diamondbacks did very well at limiting Los Angeles’ two hottest hitters, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, who went a combined 2-for-23 in the series with two singles. Ohtani’s lone hit was the go-ahead single in the 10th inning on Saturday, although it was an infield hit.

Rodriguez put a five-run outing on Tuesday firmly behind him.

He capped his night with a 1-2-3 seventh inning which ended ended on an Ohtani ground out.

The Diamondbacks gave Rodriguez a quick lead, as Ketel Marte blasted a two-run home run in the first inning off Dodgers left-handed starter Justin Wrobleski.

Marte reached 20 home runs this season, becoming the fourth D-backs player in franchise history to do so five times. Marte had not hit a home run since July 26.

Arizona added another pair of runs in the second on a throwing error from Wrobleski and an RBI double from Gabriel Moreno.

Sunday attendance

43,775

The Chase Field attendance surpassed 40,000 for three straight games for the first time this season.

Diamondbacks-Rockies coming up

The Diamondbacks finish their 10-game homestand with a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, starting on Monday.

Pitching probables:

Monday: RHP Gabriel Hughes (4.25 ERA) vs. TBA (likely Michael Soroka, 3.07)

Tuesday: RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (4.51) vs. LHP Mitch Bratt (3.90)

Wednesday: RHP Ryan Feltner (5.71) vs. RHP Merrill Kelly (4.88)

First pitch on Monday is at 6:40 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.  

Related

Reports: Diamondbacks adding pitcher Zack LittellDiamondbacks keep winning while best players are slumping. When will Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte get hot?Diamondbacks had Dodgers cornered, but they slipped away to set up season-series rubber matchNolan Arenado recognized for winning Diamondbacks’ Heart and Hustle AwardIn most playoff-like game of the year, Diamondbacks rookie Ryan Waldschmidt walks off DodgersMerrill Kelly has cramping issues resurface vs. Dodgers