Dodgers Shutout for Third Time This Season
The Los Angeles Dodgers looked to build off an incredible comeback win on Saturday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was a premier matchup with the Dodgers throwing out Dustin May, and Corbin Burnes getting the start for the Diamondbacks. May had a solid start in his last outing, in which he took a loss that came against the Atlanta Braves. For the Dodgers, they were facing a pitcher they have had a lot of success against, as Burnes has pitched a 5.40 ERA in eight career games against the men in blue.
The Dodgers' offense was kept in check throughout the first three innings. They let multiple lead-off base hits go to waste, with no runner reaching past second base. It was not until Corbin Carroll led off the bottom of the third with a triple, the hit could have easily been prevented if Hyeseong Kim had made a better play on the ball. Nonetheless, Carroll ended up coming home on an RBI groundout from Ketel Marte.
It was just one of those nights for the Dodgers' offense where nothing could get the offense going. Burnes cut up the Dodgers, finishing with a stat line of seven innings, five strikeouts, two walks, and allowed just five hits. Coming into the game, Burnes had a combined eight walks in his last two appearances. The Dodgers could not work the count and cause trouble on the base paths for the righty in tonight’s matchup. May went just a tad under Burnes in terms of innings pitched. He pitched six innings, striking out five, allowing seven hits and two runs. Eugenio Suárez hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to knock May out of the game.
Once the eighth inning rolled around, the top of the order came to the plate for the Dodgers. With Burnes out of the ball game, Los Angeles had to attack a shaky Diamondbacks bullpen. Ryne Nelson stepped up to the mound, pitching a 7.38 ERA since May 4th. The inning displayed how the offense looked all night, unavailable as Nelson threw just 10 pitches, retiring all three batters quickly. The trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman went one for 11 at the plate. One thing to note is that Freeman’s 14-game hitting streak was snapped in this one.
Arizona added another run of insurance in the eighth inning with a Pavin Smith RBI double to extend their lead to three. Unlike last night, the Dodgers' offense was unable to have a major ninth inning, as Nelson shut the door for a second consecutive inning. Nelson grabbed his first save of the season, while the win put the Diamondbacks up in the series. The Dodgers quickly shift their focus to tomorrow's matchup, as it doesn’t get easier, they’ll also look to avoid a sweep. They will face Zac Gallen, who has not pitched up to his recent season standards but is still effective. While Los Angeles brings out Tony Gonsolin, who is making his third start of the year, boasting a 1-0 record with a 4.09 ERA.
