Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — The Arizona Diamondbacks came out swinging and stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a powerful early-game surge, jumping to a 7-0 lead that left Dodger Stadium unusually quiet. A mix of timely hits, aggressive base running, and some sloppy defense by LA helped Arizona control the game from the start.

The D-backs started the scoring in the first inning when Eugenio Suarez hit a double that should have been a routine out. It dropped in, allowing two runs to score. Josh Naylor followed up with a groundout that brought in another run. Geraldo Perdomo added to the lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly, making it 3-0.

The third inning was when things got out of hand. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. crushed a home run to left field, and a few boos started to echo around the stadium. Moments later, Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run blast, scoring Naylor, who had just picked up a single and raised his batting average to a strong .305. That made it 7-0, and the Dodgers' home crowd was stunned.

Solid Pitching Keeps Dodgers in Check

While the offense was clicking, Arizona's starter, Brandon Pfaadt, was on top of his game. He faced the first six batters and retired all of them without trouble. Although Pfaadt had a tough outing in his last start against the Giants, giving up four runs in four innings, he looked sharp in this one. Earlier in May, he also had a solid performance against the Dodgers, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings and getting help from his defense.

For the Dodgers, Jack Dreyer started the game. He’s mainly served as an opener and has done well in his previous two appearances against Arizona, not allowing a run in 3 2/3 innings. But the Diamondbacks were locked in and made sure this outing wasn’t as smooth.

Landon Knack, the Dodgers’ second pitcher of the night, struggled badly. He gave up all four runs in the third inning, including both homers. Knack had also been hit hard in his previous start against Oakland, giving up five runs in 4 2/3 innings. The struggles continued for him here.

Pitching Rotation Adjustments and Injury News

As Arizona prepares for the rest of the series, right-hander Ryne Nelson is set to start on Tuesday, May 20. He’s bPitching Rotation Adjustments and Injury News ack in the starting rotation after spending time in the bullpen. Nelson said he always believed he’d get another shot to start, even though he tried to stay focused on his daily work. “I thought at some point the situation was going to pop up,” he shared.

Manager Torey Lovullo praised Nelson for his professionalism and willingness to do whatever the team needed. “He takes things in stride as good as any young player I’ve ever seen,” Lovullo said.

Arizona is still dealing with a few pitching injuries. Eduardo Rodriguez, who is on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, threw from 90 feet on May 19. A.J. Puk, also sidelined with elbow inflammation since May 1, just started his throwing program. He played catch from 60 feet and reported feeling good. Meanwhile, reliever Justin Martinez will pitch in a Triple-A game before heading back to Phoenix.

Upcoming Matchups

The Diamondbacks will continue their series in Los Angeles this week:

Tuesday, May 20: Ryne Nelson (1-1, 5.13 ERA) faces Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-3, 2.12 ERA).

Wednesday, May 21: Corbin Burnes (3-1, 2.56 ERA) takes on Matt Sauer (1-0, 2.30 ERA).

Thursday, May 22: Off day.

Friday, May 23: The team heads to St. Louis to play the Cardinals. Zac Gallen (3-5, 5.14 ERA) will face Miles Mikolas (3-2, 3.77 ERA).

Dodgers Battling Through Injuries

Despite the loss and a wave of injuries, the Dodgers still sit on top of the NL West. But it hasn’t been easy. They had 15 players on the injured list as of May 18 and were recently swept by their crosstown rivals, the Angels. They did get a boost by activating Tommy Edman, and Teoscar Hernandez might return during the Diamondbacks series.

Shohei Ohtani continues to shine as a hitter, posting a .313 average with 16 home runs and 10 steals. Freddie Freeman is also on fire, hitting .371 with nine home runs. In the bullpen, lefty Tanner Scott has been a bright spot, carrying a 1.74 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks are hoping their early offense and solid pitching can carry them through the rest of the series. With key players stepping up and others returning from injury, Arizona looks to keep building momentum as the season continues.