Hernandez, Howie lift Dodgers past D-backs
PHOENIX -- Brett Anderson pitched seven quality innings, and Howie Kendrick continued to torment the D-backs as the Dodgers cruised to a 4-3 win on Wednesday night to capture the three-game series at Chase Field.
"He's a competitor. He's kept us in the game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Anderson. "He's got weapons. He knows what he's doing, and he doesn't get rattled."
Anderson (5-4) won his third consecutive start as he allowed seven hits and a pair of walks while striking out seven. His mound opponent, Robbie Ray, did not fare as well, allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings.
• Anderson continues his remarkable comeback story
The D-backs made a pair of baserunning mistakes in the first inning, running into two outs on the bases, and Anderson seemed to settle in from there. Kendrick drove home a run in the first on a sacrifice fly and singled home a run in a three-run third inning that gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. Kendrick is hitting .368 in his career against Arizona.
"That wasn't very good," D-backs manager Chip Hale said of the miscues on the bases. "We gave away two outs right away. Against a good team it's not easy to overcome."
Video: LAD@ARI: Anderson fans seven, holds D-backs to one
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Van Slyke gets busy: In the bottom of the first inning, first baseman Scott Van Slyke hustled to throw out Nick Ahmed at second after he was picked off. Then he hustled into shallow right field for A.J. Pollock's bloop single, before throwing back to catcher A.J. Ellis covering first to erase Pollock. And for the third out, he fielded Yasmany Tomas' roller and beat Tomas to the bag with a dive.
Video: LAD@ARI: Van Slyke, Ellis team to get Pollock out
Ray struggles: Ray has seen some bad luck this year, but Wednesday's game was not one of those outings as he was charged with season highs in hits and earned runs, losing his third straight start.
• Rocky third inning does in Ray, D-backs
"It's baseball," Ray said. "It's gonna happen. This game will humble you real quick, so I'm just trying to stay even keel and know what I need to work on going into next outing."
Video: LAD@ARI: Turner drives RBI double off Ray in 3rd
A homer shy: Kiké Hernandez, leading off and playing center field, tripled and scored in the first inning, doubled and scored in the third inning, struck out looking in the fifth inning, singled in the seventh inning and fouled out in the ninth. With a home run he would have been the first rookie to hit for the cycle since Brandon Barnes on July 19, 2013. Hernandez said he couldn't remember ever hitting for a cycle at any level.
• Hernandez shines, coming a homer short of the cycle
Video: LAD@ARI: Hernandez lines double to drive in Ellis
Coming up short: The D-backs rallied in the eighth, scoring on a deep sacrifice fly by Aaron Hill. But pinch-hitter Welington Castillo, who represented the tying run, flied to right against Adam Liberatore to end the threat. Then, in the ninth David Peralta's one-out homer cut the Dodgers lead to a run, but Kenley Jansen was able to record the final two outs for the save.
"We brought the tying run to the plate again, so that's what we strive for when we're behind," Hale said. "It's tough against a closer like Jansen. He's extremely good and didn't lose his cool after the big home run by Peralta, shut us down.
Video: LAD@ARI: Peralta lines solo homer off Jansen in 9th
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: After a day off Thursday, Clayton Kershaw will be out to snap the longest losing streak of his career, three games. He's 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA lifetime against the Mets, but hasn't faced them since April, 2013.
D-backs: The D-backs open a four-game series with the Rockies on Thursday night. Jeremy Hellickson will get the start as the right-hander looks to continue his winning streak at Chase Field. Hellickson is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his last three home starts.
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