Live Blogging: Dodgers Drop Diamondbacks, 7-1; Pitching matchup not so much

The vaunted and much-heralded pitching matchup between Clayton Kershaw and the Diamondbacks’ Zack Grienke came to naught this evening, as Kershaw and the Dodgers unleashed seven almost-unanswered runs with 13 hits, to stop the Diamondbacks in their tracks, 7-1. Kershaw delivered a masterful performance, allowing only the one run, four hits, and striking out eight, for his second win of the season. The eight strong innings were the most he has pitched since May 23 of last year.

Greinke, on the other hand, allowed 10 hits, five runs, 4 strike outs,  over 107 pitches, before leaving in the sixth inning, long past his pitch count. It was, however, only his first loss of the season. He just picked the wrong night for it.

The Dodger offense also woke up tonight, with 13 hits and a home run—his third—from Andrew Toles, along with hits from Adrian Gonzales and Justin Turner.

Corey Seager went 2 for 3 with two runs and six walks to get his name in the newspaper.

The Dodgers have now won 10 of their last 11 games and five consecutive games against Arizona. The DBacks are now 3-7 in their last ten games.

The teams will meet again tomorrow in the second of the four-game series.

Here’s how we blogged it:

In the first game of a six-game home stand, the Dodgers (.500) will face the Arizona Diamondbacks for a four game series. The game will pit two Dodgers, one former, one current, against each other with Clayton Kershaw (1-1, 3.46) facing former Dodger boy wonder Jack Grienke.

The Dodgers are coming off a not-so-hot-road trip against Colorado and Chicago. Anything can happen.

FIRST INNING

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A.J. Pollock takes the first pitch for a strike. A.J. Pollock (no relation)  takes the first pitch for a strike. He grounds out to first in a really ugly uniform.

Chris Owings watches a strike go by, and then flies out to right, all casual.

Paul Goldschmidt get to 1-2 right away, then flies out to straightaway center, as they call it.

Bottom

Andrew Toles gets to 2-1, then is greeted at first by a man with a ball in his glove.

Corey Seager is at 3-1, then strolls to first. (FYI, the Dodgers don’t play ‘walk’ music anymore, so Dieter, the organist, tells me…)

Justin Turner flies out really high to deep center.

Adrian Gonzales flies waaaaaaay out deeeeeep to right field.

Dodgers 0, Diamondbacks  0

SECOND INNING

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SECOND INNING

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Yasmany Tomas flies out to center.

Brandon Drury sits at 2-2….ok, make that 2-2….

 

Daniel Descalso helps the Dbacks go 1-2-3.

Bottom

Logan Forsyth is rocking 2-2, ….then strikes out ugly.

Yasmani Grandal gets to 1-2, 2-2, then beats out a hot grounder at first.

Joc (no relation) Pederson is sitting at 2-2 for a while…..swing, swing, he is still there…then doubles to right, sending Grandal to third.

Puig takes a base, which are now loaded, per se. Up comes Kershaw.

Kershaw is at 0-1, 1-1, 1-2,…then bangs right in to a double play.

Dodgers 0, Diamondbacks 0.

Nick Ahmed looks at a vicious strikeout.

Jeff Mathis flies out to left center.

Grienke (!) is at 2-2,  and Kershaw strikes him right out.

Bottom

Corey Seager is on first.

And now he is on second, as Turner sends one past shortstop Ahmed.

Gonzales smacks one to right center, and Seager comes home.

Logan Forsyth is checking out 2 balls and a strike, and then bangs one to left center, bringing home Turner.

Yasmani Grandal is at 1-2, then swings like the wind, which sends him to the dugout.

Joc Pederson flies out.

Dodgers 2, Diamondbacks 0.

Chris Owings singles past the mound.

Paul Goldschmidt travels to first on a passed ball.

Owings steals second.

Kershaw throws one into the dirt, and the runners move west.

Tomas strikes out, frozen.

Drury is thrown out at first by Turner and the Arizona threat is ended for the moment.

Bottom

Yasiel Puig flies out to first.

Kershaw strikes out.

Toles sets up a booth at first.

Seager stands at 3-1, then strolls to first, pushing Toles that-a-away towards second.

Justin Turner bangs one into left LaLaLand, and Seager races home, beating the throw to the plate.

Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 0.

FIFTH INNING

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Daniel Descalso (no relation) strikes out and whatnot.

Nick Ahmed is at 1-2, and the wave begins, traveling clockwise, as Ahmed strikes out.

Mathis sees two strikes blur past him, then gets shot down at first.

(Oh. I just noticed my byline.  I didn’t write that, Bobbleheads. 😉  )

Bottom

Forsyth puts one into short center field.

Grandal singles to right right.

Pederson examines the concept of 2-2, …and then, just like that, the count is full. He smacks one to right, and then beats out the throw to first as Grandal gets arrested at second.

Puig is at 1-1, swings at a high one, nothing happens, and the count is suddenly full. He flies out to short center, as Turner bursts for home, to add another run.

Kershaw dribbles one to first, ending the inning.

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 0.

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(Here’s the line on Grienke, Bobbleheads: 10 hits, five runs, 4 strike outs,  107 pitches.)

Grienke flies out.

Pollock grounds out to first, going 0 for 3 on this lovely spring evening.

Owings goes down on strikes.

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks.

Bottom

Tom Wilhelmson is now pitching for the team in the ugly uniforms.

Andrew Toles grounds out to first.

Bottom

Tom Wilhelmson is now pitching for the team in the ugly uniforms.

Andrew Toles grounds out to first.

Seager takes a ball and a strike, and then flies out to short center field and a charging Jeff Mathis.

Turner does an instant replay of that situmacation, ending the sixth inning.

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 0

SEVENTH INNING

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Goldschmidt flies out to Grandal.

Tomas flies out.

Drury looks at 1-2, and then strikes out swinging. 1-2-3.

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 0.

Bottom

Adrian Gonzales flies out to deep center.

Forsyth gets shot down at first. No injuries.

Grandal earns a walk by just standing there.

Pederson is out at first, and the inning is, well, over.

EIGHTH INNING

Someone is out.

Ahmed singles to right.

Mathis hits into a double play.

Bottom

Puig singles to short right.

Kershaw grounds to first, and Puig checks in at second.

Toles is at 1-2, then 2-2, then 3-2, then knocks one out into the parking lot, for this third homer of the season, and scoring Puig.

Seager singles to short deep left right left center (just checking on you….), and there is a chat show on the mound with the whole cast.

Turner flies out on a 3-1 pitch. Another chat show on the mound—a huddle of ugly uniforms, and Andrew Chafin takes the mound.

NINTH INNING

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Chris Ianneta singles to left.

Pollock strikes out.

Owings, hoping to start a HUGE comeback, is at 1-1. Make that 1-2. How about that? He doubles and scores Ianetta.