Recap: Howie Kendrick Carries Dodgers To Win Over Diamondbacks
Kiké Hernandez walked with two outs, but the lack of clutch hitting continued when Callaspo lined out to end the inning. Frias kept the Dodgers in the game, throwing another scoreless frame in the fifth. The Dodger right-hander tried to help himself by laying down a bunt to lead off the bottom of the fifth.
Frias was safe, but ruled out due to runner’s interference. Heisey failed to check his swing and struck out, and Puig hit a broken-bat grounder to short to complete another scoreless inning for Ray. With the wind blowing from left to right at Dodger Stadium, Puig made a nice running catch at the warning track in right field, robbing Tomas of a likely double in what finished as a scoreless sixth for Frias.
Whereas Tomas didn’t quite get enough help from the wind, Howie Kendrick did as his solo shot carried just enough over the right field fence to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Grandal extended the inning with a two-out base hit, though nothing would come of it as Hernandez flied out to center.
Nick Ahmed lined a one-out single up the middle in the seventh and he was then sacrificed into scoring position by Ray. Cliff Pennington worked a full count and drew a walk that put two on with two outs and also ended Frias’ night. Adam Liberatore came out of the bullpen and struck out Enciarte on three pitches to end the inning and keep the game tied at 1-1.
Ray recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh, including retiring pinch-hitter Jimmy Rollins, who hit for Liberatore. However, Ray was lifted after issuing a two-out walk to Heisey. Addison Reed came on to face Puig, who the battle by hitting a hustle double that left two runners in scoring position.
The decision to intentionally walk Adrian Gonzalez proved a costly one for the Diamondbacks as Kendrick lined Reed’s first pitch up the middle for a two-run base hit that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. Guerrero nearly added to it, but Inciarte made a sliding catch to end the inning.
Yimi Garcia allowed nothing more than a two-out infield single as he protected the Dodgers’ 3-1 lead in the eighth. Kenley Jansen then closed things out in the ninth and the Dodgers had a sixth consecutive win over the Diamondbacks.
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