Iannetta, Walker lift D-backs over Dodgers

Iannetta, Walker lift D-backs over Dodgers

April 16th, 2017

LOS ANGELES -- Chris Iannetta homered and pitched five solid innings on Easter Sunday as the D-backs scored a 3-1 win over the Dodgers and pitcher Rich Hill, who left another Dodger Stadium start early with a finger blister flare-up.
"Rich is a great pitcher, his track record speaks for itself," Iannetta said. "He's a guy you try to get his curveball up and his fastball down and hopefully you get a pitch to hit. He rarely gives you something good to hit, always shows good command, changes up speeds, location. I was fortunate enough to get a pitch."
Hill left his previous start April 5 with the same finger blister and was activated off the 10-day disabled list to make Sunday's start. For the D-backs, followed Walker with 2 2/3 scoreless innings and pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
"You've got to give credit to Taijuan," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "He has good stuff. We got a little out of the zone sometimes and he was pitching at the top of the zone effectively, mixing in sliders when he needed to. We're used to traffic on the bases, it didn't happen tonight, and Bradley pitched well."
Hill avoided a second-inning threat by getting a double-play grounder from , but when Iannetta barreled an 0-2 fastball for a home run leading off the third inning, it went downhill fast. Five of the first six batters that inning reached base (including Walker, who singled). Hill walked in a second run before putting down the rally, but was removed before the fourth inning could start. More >

The Dodgers trimmed the deficit in the bottom of the fourth off Walker with a one-out single by and a two-out RBI soft double from that, according to Statcast™, had a hit probability of only 6 percent.

Arizona added an insurance run off in the seventh on 's RBI single.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Big pitches, big outs: Walker held the damage to a minimum with two crucial at-bats. With two outs and the bases loaded in the first inning, he struck out . And with two outs, a run in and Puig on second base in the fourth inning, he got to bounce out to second base. More >

"For me, I think that's what helps you win baseball games," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "The pitching set the tone, the defense was there to pick up the ball and I think we had some very timely hitting."
Hill limited the damage, too: Considering that seven of the 15 batters he faced reached base, it could have been worse for Hill in three innings than two runs allowed. In addition to the Drury double play, Hill finished off the third by striking out and getting Drury on a forceout with the bases loaded.
QUOTABLE
"To get where it was last year -- completely open, bleeding, raw skin -- that's not where we are now, but it could get to that point." -- Hill, who missed two months last year with finger blisters

ARCHIE GETS IT DONE
With Walker leaving after five innings, Bradley did a nice job bridging the gap to the later innings with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball.
"What can you say, also, about Archie Bradley?" Lovullo said. "He did exactly what we wanted him to do in two-plus innings, he got things under control for us and it worked out really well."
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Dodgers challenged a safe call at second base by umpire Doug Eddings on an attempted steal by in the top of the seventh inning. The call was overturned and the runner was out.

WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: The D-backs wrap up the four-game series with the Dodgers with Robbie Ray on the hill at 7:10 p.m. MST. Ray is coming off an outstanding outing against the Giants where he tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings.
Dodgers: faces his former club for only the second time in his career in this 7:10 p.m. PT start. McCarthy is coming off a clutch win at Wrigley Field, where he pitched six scoreless innings, and the Dodgers need him to go deep after using long relievers Alex Wood and Saturday and Sunday.
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