Busy bullpen carrying load for D-backs

PHOENIX -- With their walk-off 4-3 win over the Dodgers on Friday night, the D-backs bullpen chalked up a save.

Not a statistical one, mind you, but their five scoreless innings kept the game tied after Chase Anderson left after the fifth and allowed the D-backs to win it in the 10th.

Andrew Chafin led the relievers Friday with three perfect innings.

Video: LAD@ARI: Hill makes nice diving stop and throw

"The bullpen has done a great job but we have to be careful we don't burn them out," D-backs manager Chip Hale said.

Hale is right to worry about burnout given that fact that in the first four games of the season the 'pen has already thrown 17 2/3 innings.

On the plus side they've only allowed two earned runs over that span for a 1.02 ERA.

"The bullpen came through like they have the last couple games," Anderson said. "To those guys, that's where all the credit should go. We've known all spring long, those guys are going to throw up zeros. They're awesome. It's good to have a bullpen like that behind you, especially when you only throw five innings. That's not the goal as a starting pitcher. You want to throw six, seven, eight innings and hopefully finish what we started. I'm thankful we have a bullpen like we do. They've done a really good job so far."

Video: LAD@ARI: Anderson fans Grandal to end the 1st

Only one starter, Rubby De La Rosa, has made it out of the fifth inning and he got just one out in the sixth.

"I truly believe this first go-around for all our starters is tough," Hale said. "They're amped up and they want to be the guy to go seven or eight innings and they're pushing it too hard right now. Once they step back, I think the second time around, third time you'll see some more innings pitched by them."