The Los Angeles Dodgers once again found success against Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed starter Patrick Corbin, but it was essentially offset by Kenta Maeda laboring through four short innings on Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers struck early and often, beginning with a Logan Forsythe leadoff double in the bottom of the first inning. Corey Seager followed with an RBI single, Justin Turner doubled, and Seager scored on a Yasiel Puig sacrifice fly.
However, a 2-0 lead was short lived, as Maeda allowed a leadoff single, walked Daniel Descalso and then allowed a three-run home run to Nick Ahmed. Austin Barnes erased the Dodgers’ deficit by clubbing his first career homer in the bottom of the second.
Forsythe attempted to spark a two-out by ripping a single into left field, and Seager walked, but Turner was robbed of a hit by David Peralta’s diving catch. Maeda collected two strikeouts in the third en route to retiring the side in order for the first time.
Puig’s first hit of the season off a left-hander was a leadoff single in the bottom of the third. He advanced to second base on a slow grounder, but was then thrown out at third on a groundball hit in front of him. Corbin kept the ball out of the air, inducing Kiké Hernandez into an inning-ending groundout.
Maeda allowed a one-out double to Brandon Drury and a two-out RBI single to Ahmed, which gave the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead. Scott Van Slyke pinch-hit for Maeda with one out in the bottom of the fourth and reached on an error.
Forsythe’s third hit of the night, a single, put runners on the corners. Seager then tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Alex Wood entered in the fifth, Van Slyke took over in left field, and Hernandez moved to second base.
Forsythe was removed with what was later called precautionary reasons because of right hamstring tightness. Wood worked around a Turner fielding error to complete a scoreless inning.
Hernandez doubled in the bottom of the fifth, and was standing on third when Van Slyke was intentionally walked with two outs. Wood hit for himself but instead of getting out of the inning, the Diamondbacks allowed the Dodgers to take a lead.
Chris Herrmann faked a throw to second base on Van Slyke’s stolen base attempt, then threw to third in hopes of throwing out Hernandez. However, the throw hit Hernandez in the back and rolled into shallow left field.
Wood worked around a Hernandez throwing error in the seventh to complete a third scoreless inning. He retired the lone batter faced in the eighth, then gave way to Sergio Romo. Paul Goldschmidt lined a single into center field, and Romo was promptly replaced by Luis Avilan.
He struck out Jake Lamb and was replaced by Kenley Jansen. Hernandez made a running catch in shallow right field, narrowly avoiding a diving attempt by Puig, to end the eighth inning. After Seager doubled with two outs and Turner was hit by a pitch, Puig clobbered a three-run homer.
Jansen struck out the side in the ninth complete a four-out save in the Dodgers’ 8-4 victory.
