Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1: Win for Kobe

Yes, I am aware that my title has nothing to do with baseball, but the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks by a score of 3-1 on the same night LA said a final farewell to Kobe Bryant.

Alex Wood started the game a bit shaky for the Dodgers and missed some of his pitches that were high and away. Wood gave up a solo homerun to Nick Ahmed in the top of the third along with a single and a walk, but seemed to settle down after that.

In the bottom of the third, Chase Utley came up and got the first hit for the Dodgers. With two outs, Corey Seager came to the plate a put together a great at bat. He fought off pitch after pitch fouling them off and once again proved he has a great eye at the plate, but he ended up grounding out to short and off the fourth the Dodgers went.

Yasmani Grandal was fantastic behind the plate! His pitch framing abilities always amaze me. In the top of the fourth he caught Brandon Drury attempting to steal third and Grandal fired the ball to Justin Turner at third. The ump clinched his fist and Grandal ran towards the dugout as Drury became the final out of the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth Adrian Gonzalez hit his first homerun of the season and tied the ballgame.

Wood put together a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and the Dodgers scored two more on singles and a few errors by the Diamondbacks. Howie Kendirck led off the inning with a single and Joc Pederson singled right after him. The Dodgers had runners on first and third when Utley came to bat and grounded into a fielders choice, which should have been a pretty routine double play, but Ahmed threw the ball to some invisible second baseman and ended up hitting Pederson as Joc was running towards second. Pederson was called safe at second and Seager came up to bat. He too hit into a fielders choice that should have been a double play, but Paul Goldschmidt babbled the ball and Seager was called safe on the error. Turner was the next batter and for the second time in the game was hit by a pitch. Gonzalez struck out to end the inning, but the Dodgers led by two.

Errors in the fifth had the Diamondbacks looking more like the:

Things settled down for both teams and Wood’s night was finished in the top of the eighth after giving up a lead off single. Wood pitched seven innings, gave up four hits, walked three, struckout three and gave up one earned run. A much better start than he had in San Francisco. Pedro Baez replaced Wood in the top of the eighth and got one out, but gave up a walk. Dave Roberts came out and did a double switch in order to bring in Kenley Jansen with one out in the eighth. Trayce Thompson joined the outfield in right as Jansen took over. Kenley got two quick outs in the eighth and three more in the ninth. For the first time in his career, Jansen recorded a five out save and for the most part the bullpen was avoided. Dodgers walked off the field to “I Love LA”.

Tomorrow the Dodgers will again face the Diamondbacks at home at 7:10 PM. And with that good night Dodgers and thank you Kobe.