Familiarity Breeds Contempt As Diamondbacks Sweep Dodgers

For the third straight game, the Dodgers couldn't muster any offense against a Diamondbacks starting pitcher, and for the third straight game Arizona hit two home runs, this time in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers to complete their sweep at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers have lost six straight games to the Diamondbacks, a team now only a game and a half behind them in the standings.

Patrick Corbin was the latest Diamondbacks pitcher to shut down the Dodgers. He pitched six scoreless innings on Wednsday, allowing just two hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch. Corbin struck out five, and retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced for his third win of the season.

Diamondbacks pitchers retired the final 17 batters of the game.

The Dodgers figured out how to keep Paul Goldschmidt from homering in the first inning on Wednesday, as Stephen Fife retired the side in order in the first inning. But Goldschmidt, the cleanup hitter, led off the second inning with a hit and later scored on a single by Miguel Montero.

Chris Johnson, who hit a grand slam on Monday, hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead.

Those were all the runs scored off Fife, though not for lack of trying. Fife struck out a career high four batters, but also allowed nine baserunners, and was removed after just 4 1/3 innings. Fife in three starts has allowed just four runs in 16 2/3 innings, but 25 runners have reached base against him so far.

Just like the previous two nights, on Wednesday the Dodgers were mostly within striking distance, at least had their offense done anything. The Dodgers trailed just 2-0 until Montero, who homered on Tuesday, hit a two-run shot in the eighth inning to essentially put the game away.

Notes

• Shane Victorino in his Dodger debut went 0-for-4.
• Hanley Ramirez shifted to shortstop in the fifth inning on a double switch, the first time he has played shortstop since last season. He turned the first ball hit to him into a 6-4-3 double play.
• Ramirez was 0-for-2 with a walk and a HBP on Wednesday, and has yet to get a hit at home as a Dodger (0-for-10).
  
• Javy Guerra pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, the longest outing of his career.
  

Today's Particulars

Home Runs: Chris Johnson (10), Miguel Montero (13)

WP - Patrick Corbin (3-4): 6 IP, 2 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

LP - Stephen Fife (0-1): 4 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts