Dodgers allow Diamondbacks to score before 6th, still win

The Diamondbacks scored a run before the sixth inning on Saturday night, the first time they have done so in four games against the Dodgers this season. But by then it didn't matter as the Dodgers picked up another win, 8-5 over Arizona at Chase Field.

A.J. Pollock homered to open the fifth inning for Arizona, but by then the Dodgers had already built a 5-0 lead against Wade Miley. The Dodgers in their four games against Arizona this season have had leads of 3-0, 7-0, 6-0 and 5-0.

Brandon League tried to make it close in the ninth inning, turning an 8-2 blowout into an 8-5 contest, but Kenley Jansen was called on to get the final out to preserve the victory.

Saturday, the offense started for Los Angeles in the second inning. Scott Van Slyke, who doubled off the wall and homered against Wade Miley in Sydney, doubled off the left field wall off Miley in Phoenix to set up runners on second and third base with nobody out. A Juan Uribe single cashed in both runs for an early 2-0 lead.

Uribe added a pair of doubles for his fourth three-hit game of the season, more than anybody in baseball.

In the third inning Yasiel Puig led off with a single and two outs later the red-hot Adrian Gonzalez drove a ball into the seats in left field for a 4-0 lead. For Gonzalez it was his seventh straight game with an extra-base hit, the longest streak by a Dodger since Shawn Green did so in eight straight games in 2002.

Gonzalez was 2-for-4 on the night and extended his overall hitting streak to eight games. He is hitting .344 (11-for-32) during the streak. The first baseman, who has a team-leading four home runs in 12 games, hit his fourth home run in his 32nd game in 2013.

It wasn't as though the Diamondbacks didn't have their chances on offense. They put runners in scoring position in four of the first five innings against Greinke, but outside of the Pollock home run nobody touched home plate. Arizona was 1-for-7 with three strikeouts with runners in scoring position against Greinke, and the one hit was too shallow in right field to score a run.

Pitching out of jams plus a high strikeout total elevated Greinke's pitch count, ending his night with one out in the sixth. But with just one run allowed he now has 15 straight starts of five innings or more with two or fewer runs allowed, tying Mat Latos (2010) for the longest streak in baseball dating back to 1914.

With 99 pitches through five innings, Greinke remained in the game to face one batter, striking out the right-handed Mark Trumbo to open the sixth. Saturday marked the second straight start for Greinke with 8 strikeouts and no walks. On the season Greinke has 21 strikeouts and just two walks, and since his last walk has struck out 17 batters.

Notes

The Dodgers are now 6-1 on the road this season and have scored first in every away game.

The Dodgers hit four doubles on Saturday and lead the majors with 31 doubles on the season.

Uribe leads the team with seven doubles and is hitting .367/.367/.510 (18-for-49).

Chris Withrow walked Chris Owings to start the seventh inning, snapping a string of 14 straight batters retired by Withrow this season. Withrow recovered to strikeout the next three batters, and has struck out 12 of his 24 batters faced this season.

Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-4 to snap his hitting streak at seven games, but drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning.

Drew Butera, catching his second game of the season, went 2-for-4 with a walk, and scored his first two runs as a Dodger.

Chone Figgins singled in the seventh inning for his first hit of the year. All six of his plate appearances this season have been as a pinch hitter, and coupled with his three walks Figgins has reached base four times.

Up next

The Dodgers go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon with Dan Haren on the mound, facing Trevor Cahill for Arizona.

Saturday particulars

Home runs: Adrian Gonzalez (4); A.J. Pollock (1)

WP - Zack Greinke (3-0): 5⅓ IP, 8 hits, 1 run, 8 strikeouts

LP - Wade Miley (2-2):  5 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

Sv - Kenley Jansen (3): ⅓ IP, 1 strikeout