Kendrick slugs Dodgers past D-backs
PHOENIX -- Howie Kendrick (4-for-5) homered leading off the 10th inning and Yasmani Grandal, who homered earlier, added a two-run double as the Dodgers beat the D-Backs Tuesday night, 6-4, at Chase Field.
Former Dodger Rubby De La Rosa allowed a two-run homer to Grandal in the top of the second inning, Grandal's second homer in as many games.
"Yaz has had some big offensive games for us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Grandal, who has 12 home runs after hitting 15 last year. "I still think there's more in there, to be honest."
Otherwise, De La Rosa was sharp, allowing just those two runs over 5 2/3 innings.
"He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win it," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "I was very happy with the way he pitched."
Arizona scored a run in the bottom of the second on Chris Owings' sacrifice fly, and Nick Ahmed slugged a two-run homer for the second consecutive game, giving the D-backs a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning against Dodgers starter Carlos Frias, who battled lower back stiffness for the second consecutive start and left after five innings.
• Kendrick continues to thrive hitting second
The Dodgers tied the game in the seventh off reliever Enrique Burgos on an RBI single by Kendrick after he had fouled off three pitches. Joel Peralta earned the win, and Kenley Jansen was credited with his 12th save despite allowing his first walk of the year followed by Paul Goldschmidt's two-out RBI double.
Video: LAD@ARI: Grandal sends a two-run homer to left field
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Good arms in left: Andre Ethier hustled toward the left-field corner to retrieve Welington Castillo's second-inning base hit and threw him out trying to stretch a single into a double. Scott Van Slyke, who replaced Ethier in a double-switch, hustled into the left-center gap to cut off a Yasmany Tomas base hit in the eighth and nailed him trying to stretch a single into a double.
"Both guys made nice plays cutting balls off," said Mattingly. "Those are two big outs. It was a good bounce back, because the defense was a little rough last night."
Video: LAD@ARI: Ethier throws out Castillo at second base
Heating up: Ahmed belted a two-run home run for the second straight night. The D-backs' shortstop hit one the opposite way to right-center to put his club ahead, 3-2, in the fourth, after Jake Lamb had previously reached on a single. Ahmed was 1-for-4, and Lamb finished 2-for-4, as both are beginning to produce offensively. Ahmed is batting .343 with three homers in his last 10 games, while Lamb has multiple hits in three of his last five games.
Video: LAD@ARI: Ahmed hammers a two-run homer to take lead
Rotation red flag: Frias and Mike Bolsinger, filling in for injured starters Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, have not pitched beyond the sixth inning since June 9.
• Dodgers' bullpen gets its redemption
"One thing we've talked about, we can't do it now, but after the All-Star break is to break those guys up," said Mattingly. "Splitting up Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, spreading it out a bit."
Video: LAD@ARI: Turner steps on third, throws across diamond
Racking up K's: De La Rosa's strikeout of Kendrick in the fifth was his seventh of the game, one shy of his career-high. The D-backs right-hander fanned six or more in four of his six starts in June and hasn't struck out fewer than four in any of his 16 outings. He has 94 strikeouts on the season.
"I try to get better and try to keep the ball down and try to make my slider a little bit better and get comfortable and confident," De La Rosa said.
But De La Rosa was denied his seventh win as the bullpen faltered late.
• D-backs' Hernandez still in search of his old form
Video: LAD@ARI: De La Rosa fans seven over 5 2/3 innings
REPLAY REVIEW
D-backs manager Chip Hale won a challenge in the bottom of the third inning. De La Rosa hit a groundball to third that forced Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to make a difficult backhanded stop and a long throw to first. De La Rosa was initially called out, but after a quick review of 1 minute, 10 seconds, the call was overturned, and the D-backs pitcher had a lead-off infield single.
Video: LAD@ARI: De La Rosa legs out a single on a grounder
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Brett Anderson will make his fourth start against his former team Wednesday at 6:40 PT. He last pitched Friday in Miami, allowing one run in seven innings and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts. He has back-to-back winning starts for the first time since 2012.
D-backs: Robbie Ray takes the mound in the series finale on Wednesday at 6:40 MST. Despite going 1-3, Ray had a solid June, posting a 2.08 ERA in five starts. He suffered a hard-luck loss to the Dodgers in his only other career start against them, allowing two runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings on June 9.
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