Dodgers 8-6 Diamondbacks (Aug 31, 2024) Game Recap

PHOENIX — — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman led off the game with consecutive home runs, the first time that’s happened in the Dodgers’ 141-year history, and Tommy Edman hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to give Los Angeles an 8-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

Corbin Carroll hit a home run for Arizona, leading him from inside the field.

Ohtani hit his 44th of the season — a 420-foot shot to dead center off Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. Betts followed with his 14th, and Freeman hit his 19th of the season 437 feet to right center on the next pitch. It was the first time the three superstars had hit back-to-back home runs.

“We have good players,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Ben Casparius (1-0), in his major league debut, pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the NL West-leading Dodgers their fourth straight victory. Evan Phillips retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his 18th save.

Ohtani added a sacrifice fly in the second and Freeman singled in another run. Both runs were unearned because of Kelly’s error trying to get a force at third on Kevin Kiermaier’s bunt.

Kelly pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up 10 hits and six runs, four of which were earned.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a home run and drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks.

Carroll’s inside-the-park home run to straightaway center in the first inning — a franchise first — was his fifth in five games. Center fielder Kiermaier leaped for the wall, but the ball bounced back to the infield and Carroll scored standing.

Carroll tied a Diamondbacks record by reaching base in his 39th consecutive start, a record set by Jay Bell in the franchise’s first season, 1998.

Will Smith and Gavin Lux singled off Ryan Thompson (7-4) to lead off the ninth inning. Kiké Hernández sacrificed runners to second and third, and Edman hit a single to shallow right field against Justin Martinez to score pinch runner Chris Taylor and Lux.

“The guy is mean, I just tried to stay short and put the ball in play,” said Edman, who was just returning from an injury after being acquired from St. Louis in July. “Luckily, I was able to hit the ball in the perfect spot.

“First big hit I’ve had with this team. Good to be a big part of that win tonight.”

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo wasn’t surprised to see his team bounce back after the Dodgers’ opening salvo. Arizona scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Diamondbacks were held hitless after Gurriel’s home run in the third.

“There was a lot of excitement in this building,” Lovullo said. “It was a good game. We fought as hard as we could, but we just came up a little bit short.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

The Dodgers placed LHP Clayton Kershaw on the injured list for 15 days. Reliever Joe Kelly also went on the injured list with a right shoulder infection. To replace them, the Dodgers recalled right-handers Brent Honeywell and Ben Casparius from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Another injured starter, Tyler Glasnow, expressed optimism before the game about returning to the Dodgers’ rotation before the end of the season.

NEXT

The Dodgers pit LHP Justin Wrobleski (1-1, 4.68 ERA) against Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (8-7, 4.31) in the third game of the four-game series on Sunday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb