PHOENIX --Alex Verdugo doubled and scored twice, and a struggling Los Angeles bullpen picked up injured starter Hyun-Jin Ryu to help the Dodgers defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers ended a four-game losing streak and won after eight consecutive regular-season losses at Chase Field, home to the top team in the National League this season.
Verdugo, a 21-year-old outfielder from Tucson, scored a key insurance run in the eighth inning. He doubled off reliever T.J. McFarland, beat the throw to third on a wild pitch and came home on Yasmani Grandal's sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
In the first, Verdugo doubled with one out and scored on Cody Bellinger's single off Zack Godley (4-2), who allowed five hits in six sharp innings.
Three of the five Dodgers relievers had allowed at least a run in their previous outings, but all five combined to limit the Diamondbacks for 7 2/3 innings, including Kenley Jansen's fourth save in six chances.
"Nobody likes to lose. We've built that culture here and we've gotten off to such a good start now that we expect to win every day. ... (So) yeah, we feel pretty good going into tomorrow." -- John Ryan Murphy. The @Dbacks still can claim a 10th series victory with a win Thursday. pic.twitter.com/pfgDeLM7hk
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) May 3, 2018
The Dodgers led 1-0 when Ryu, their most successful starter this season at 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA coming in, exited with a left groin strain.
After Ryu got the first out in the bottom of the second, manager Dave Roberts and a trainer came out of the dugout to check on him. Ryu stretched his legs and walked off the mound, his night over after two strikeouts, a hit and a walk allowed in 1 1/3 innings.
Pedro Baez relieved first and held the Diamondbacks scoreless for 2 2/3 innings. He worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Daniel Hudson (1-0) tossed two innings and Tony Cingrani one. Josh Fields escaped a one-out, two-on situation in the eighth by inducing a double-play grounder from hot-hitting A.J. Pollock.
The Dodgers squandered opportunities themselves, grounding into three double plays.
"We had some opportunities (and) couldn't come through. ... We, unfortunately, didn't do it today." -- Torey Lovullo, whose @Dbacks team was 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 8 runners in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/gPmIilZwNq
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) May 3, 2018
Arizona rallied in the ninth against Jansen, who walked Daniel Descalso with two outs. Descalso scored on John Ryan Murphy's soft single.
With pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson at second, Jansen got pinch-hitter Alex Avila to fly out, ending the game.
POLLOCK RECOGNIZED
Pollock was chosen National League player of the month for April. He had nine homers, 19 extra-base hits, 24 RBIs and an OPS of 1.021 in March and April.
"It was a great piece of recognition that he got and deserved," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "The first thing that came out of his mouth was, 'It's great, but we're winning games and that's the most important thing.'"
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks OF Steve Souza Jr. (pectoral strain) had two at-bats and played five innings in extended spring training. He threw from 150 feet and told Lovullo he felt "fantastic." ... RHP Randall Delgado felt shoulder stiffness and had an injection Tuesday. He is on the disabled list with an oblique injury.
UP NEXT
Dodgers LHP Alex Wood looks for his first win of the season Thursday afternoon in the series finale. Wood (0-3) has a 5-4 career record against Arizona. Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-0) struck out a career-high 12 against the Dodgers on April 4.
