Missed chances doom D-backs in loss to Dodgers

PHOENIX — All any team can hope for is an opportunity.

The Arizona Diamondbacks had plenty of opportunities on Wednesday, only to leave the tying or go-ahead run on base.

Four times in the first eight innings, the D-backs had at least one runner in scoring position; and four times they failed to drive in the run. The end result was a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the four-game series in front of an announced crowd of 19,531 at Chase Field.

The D-backs played from behind all game long.

The Dodgers scored one run in the first inning on a Cody Bellinger RBI single and then added an insurance run in the eighth when Yasmani Grandal recorded a sacrifice fly.

In between, the D-backs missed scoring chances in each of the first, fourth, seventh and eighth innings. They had runners on the corners with two outs in the first inning; the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning; a runner on second base with two outs in the seventh inning; and then runners on first and third base with one out in the eighth inning.

Each time no runner crossed home plate.

Overall, the D-backs went 2-for-9 with runners in position and left eight men on base.

Credit the Dodgers pitching staff, which was forced to use five relievers after starter Hyun-Jin Ryu exited the game due to a left groin strain in the bottom of the second inning.

Former D-back Daniel Hudson (1-0) earned the win, while Kenley Jansen picked up his fourth save.

Zack Godley (4-2) suffered the loss, the second time he’s been beaten by the Dodgers this season.

Godley, though, certainly deserved better. He struggled with his command, though, walking three batters for the second straight start. Still, he was able to complete six innings, allowing just the one run on five hits.

Despite the setback, the D-backs can still win the series with a victory on Thursday.

THE GOOD

Following the Bellinger first-inning at-bat, Godley settled in and retired the next nine batters. He closed out the first getting Matt Kemp to hit into an inning-ending double play. He then set down the Dodgers in order in both innings two and three before recording two quick outs to begin the fifth prior to Kemp’s single to left field.

The first two D-backs hits belonged to A.J. Pollock, who continues to swing a hot bat. He singled in the first and then laced a double to left-center in the fourth inning. With those two hits, Pollock, who was named NL Player of the Month for April earlier in the day, improved to 6-for-10 with one walk in the series.

And the D-backs still have not been shutout this season. It took until the ninth inning, however, before that first run crossed home plate. With two out, John Ryan Murphy drove in Daniel Descalso with an RBI single, cutting the Dodgers lead in half, 2-1. It was his second hit of the game. Descalso, by the way, pinch-hit for Deven Marrero.

THE BAD

Four batters and 18 pitches into the game, the D-backs found themselves trailing 1-0. Bellinger singled to right field, scoring Alex Verdugo who had doubled and then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. It was Bellinger’s third hit in 11 career at-bats and first RBI against Godley.

Between Ryu and Baez, Dodgers pitchers struck out five D-backs hitters over a seven-batter stretch covering the first three innings. All five hitters went down swinging. Baez struck out three straight batters after inheriting a 0-2 count on Marrero in the second inning.

With the crowd chanting “Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!”, Murphy popped out to first base to end the fourth inning, stranding the bases loaded. With one out, Pollock (double), Chris Owings (single) and Ketel Marte (walk) reached base, but then Marrero (strikeout) and Murphy failed to bring any of them home.

With T.J. McFarland pitching, the Dodgers doubled their lead in the eighth inning. Grandal lifted a 3-2 slider into right field, deep enough to plate Verdugo with a sacrifice fly and make it a 2-0 ballgame. Verdugo had reached on a one-out double to left field, beating the shift, and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Runner on third base and less than two outs. The D-backs once again failed to capitalize on such a situation. With runners on first and third and one out in the eighth inning, Pollock, swinging at the first pitch, hit into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play, stranding David Peralta at third base.

STAT OF THE GAME

9-1: For the first time this season, a D-backs starter lost at Chase Field; they had been the first team to win their first nine decisions at home since the 1923 Pittsburgh Pirates

HE SAID IT

“We built some innings. We, unfortunately, couldn’t drive in some runs,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Hitting with men in scoring position is a very challenging situation in baseball, and we just unfortunately didn’t do it today.”

NOTED

Godley threw a first-pitch strike to 12 of the 23 batters that he faced; in addition, he reached a three-ball count nine times.

Pollock finished 2-for-4; he has now reached base safely in 34 consecutive games against the Dodgers at Chase Field.

With a first-pitch temperature of 74 degrees, the game was played with the roof open but the panels remained closed.

Women’s Olympic hockey players Julie Chu (USA) and Caroline Ouellette (Canada) threw out ceremonial first pitches.

UP NEXT

Looking to maintain his unbeaten record, Patrick Corbin takes the mound in the series finale on Thursday, May 3. He’ll be opposed by fellow left-hander Alex Wood. First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 40 minutes earlier on ESPN 620 AM.

Corbin (4-0) did not factor in the decision in his last outing on April 28 at Washington, when he allowed three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

Overall this season, Corbin has struck out 55 batters in 40.0 innings, including a career-high 12 against the Dodgers in start No. 2. On that day, April 4, he pitched 7.1 shutout innings, limiting the Dodgers to just a single hit in a 3-0 win, handing Wood his first loss.

Wood (0-3) still has yet to find the win column.

A 16-game winner last season, Wood has not received much in the way of run support. Twice the Dodgers have been shutout with him on the mound, and the team has scored no more than four runs in each of his previous two outings.

In 13 games, including nine starts against the D-backs, Wood has gone 5-4 with a 3.20 ERA (21 ER in 59.0 IP).

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