D-backs stifled by Kershaw, continue to not produce runs in loss to Dodgers
Sep 3, 2020, 9:46 PM | Updated: 9:59 pm
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, bottom right, throws to first baseman Cody Bellinger to put out Arizona Diamondbacks' Josh Rojas on a ground ball during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
No, the Arizona Diamondbacks game you caught Thursday night was not a replay. And if you didn’t follow it live, no, these words you are reading are not from a prior game.
The D-backs managed only one run off the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 5-1 loss, their 13th loss in their last 14 games. In 10 of those games, Arizona has scored under three runs. It is the sixth they’ve only scored one.
It didn’t help matters that Clayton Kershaw was on the bump and continues to make a case for the National League Cy Young Award. Kershaw walked two and allowed one hit over 6.0 innings, moving his ERA on the season to 1.50 in six starts.
The Dodgers bullpen cruised after that.
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D-backs manager Torey Lovullo sat second baseman Ketel Marte and third baseman Eduardo Escobar, and said pregame this was a pre-planned rotation to give those guys rest and more at-bats to younger players, like the starting Josh Rojas (second base) and Andy Young (third base).
Lovullo said it should be expected for these types of rotations to occur in the second half of the season, when the team is through now 38 games and they need to balance some things out. When asked if this had to do with the team’s recent skid, Lovullo didn’t address that being a factor.
Regardless if the change was meant for what Lovullo said or was more of a message to his players, it did nothing to change the offense.
A Nick Ahmed walk and Josh Rojas single in the seventh inning allowed Young to drive home a run off a fielder’s choice. That was the extent of the run scoring, and really, the threat of one.
In both the fifth and eighth innings, a D-backs batter was hit by a pitch with a runner on first to put a runner in scoring position. And Arizona went 0-for-5 in those two combined opportunities, which compares similarly to Wednesday night, when they failed to add any more runs after Kenley Jansen walked in a run.
Despite the Dodgers gifting them runners, there still isn’t much happening for the D-backs offense.
Luke Weaver threw 5.1 solid innings, allowing two earned runs off four hits and zero walks. Despite letting only four Dodger hitters reach, the lineup made Weaver battle, and he exited at 92 pitches.
Keury Mella gave up two runs out of the bullpen in the seventh and another got across via Artie Lewicki in the eighth.
The D-backs are now 14-24 this season.
