Howie Kendrick Drives in All Three Runs in Dodger’s 3-1 Win Over Snakes

Tuesday night was the Howie Kendrick show, as the second baseman drove in all three runs with a solo home run in the sixth inning, and a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth off of Addison Reed to lead the Dodgers to a 3-1 win over the Snakes on a rainy night at Dodger Stadium.

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Dodgers 3 7 0

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The Dodgers were without Joc Pederson who was resting, even though it was his t-shirt night. Justin Turner was sitting as well as he was still nursing his sore knee. So Alberto Callaspo filled in at third base, and Chris Heisey (Ughhh) batted lead-off and played in center field. Although to be fair, Heisey did have a good game, drawing two key walks (One in that eighth inning), and scored a run.

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Carlos Frias pitched well (6.2 IP 1ER 8H 1BB 3K), but came out of the game losing 1-0 and earned a no-decision. The Dodger’s offense bailed him out, and the bullpen (Adam Liberatore, Yimi Garcia, Kenley Jansen) finally delivered with 2.1 scoreless frames. Kenley pitched a clean top of the ninth inning to grab his seventh save of the season.

Arizona starter Robbie Ray pitched really well too, but couldn’t get any offensive support. Ray threw 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and struck out four. Although he also issued four walks, and took his first loss of the season. Liberatore vultured the win for the Dodgers, his second of the season. Arizona scored their only run of the game in the second inning on a wild pitch.

The Dbacks put runners on in nearly every frame in the first four innings, but Frias did a good job of stranding the snakes’ runners. Catcher Yasmani Grandal had two very important caught stealings of Dback’s base runners in the first two innings which helped tremendously.

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In the top of the first, Ender Inciarte singled, but was thrown out trying to steal second when Grandal gunned him down. Then Goldschmidt singled to center, and after a wild pitch sent him to third, Frias whiffed Yasmany Thomas to get the Dodgers out of the inning.

The Dbacks threatened again in the top of the second. David Peralta who made two great sliding catches in left field, singled to lead-off the frame. Once again Grandal would gun down Snake runner number two with a great throw to nab Peralta. Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled, and Nick Ahmed followed suit with a single of his own, but after Ray sacrificed, Frias uncorked a wild pitch to score Saltalamacchia, and the Dbacks went up 1-0. Cliff Pennington’s grounder to third ended the inning.

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Frias snuffed out another threat in the third. Jake Lamb doubled with one out but Frias got consecutive grounders from Goldschmidt and Thomas to end that inning as well. The Dbacks got nine hits, but stranded seven runners on base, and were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

The Dodgers didn’t score until the bottom of the sixth. Howie Kendrick homered over the right field wall to tie the game. Then he knocked in two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Dodgers had a two-out rally begin with a walk to Heisey. Then Yasiel Puig (So glad he’s back!) doubled into the gap which sent Heisey to third. After Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked to load the bases, Kendrick’s ground ball single into center scored two and put the Dodgers ahead 3-1. 

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The Dacks never threatened after that. Liberatore and Garcia combined to pitch a scoreless eighth, and then Kenley threw another perfect ninth. A.J Pollack’s foul pop to Gonzo ended the game. The Dodgers win 3-1!

I know it’s the Dbacks, but a win is a win is a win. The Dodgers improve to 34-25, and remain a game ahead of the Giants. The Giants defeated the Mets today, but I refuse to acknowledge that thing that happened at Citi Field today. Sorry, not acknowledging it. Nope, not gonna do it. Yes it was good Baseball, but I will not talk about it. I will instead pretend like it never existed.

The Boys in Blue go for a series sweep tomorrow night in the home stand finale. Jeremy Hellickson will battle Brett Anderson at 7:10 PM.

Go Blue!