Diamondbacks do extra to finally beat Dodgers in LA

For the first time in over a year the Dodgers lost a home game to the Diamondbacks, dropping the opener of a four-game series 8-4 to extra-base-happy Arizona on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

The loss snapped a nine-game home winning streak for the Dodgers over the Diamondbacks, three straight series sweeps dating back to Sept. 5, 2014. The last Arizona win at Dodger Stadium came on June 5, 2014.

Brett Anderson entered Monday with a 66.5-percent ground ball rate, the highest in the majors in the last nine years, but against the Diamondbacks only 12 of the 23 balls hit against him were on the ground.

Yasmany Tomas homered in the fourth inning and Aaron Hill homered in the fifth inning, giving Anderson 17 home runs allowed on the season, tops on the staff. But those were just solos; what helped end Anderson's night early were the eight other hits, including three in a row after Hill's home run for a three-run inning for Arizona.

In his first four starts against the Diamondbacks in 2015, Anderson allowed four doubles, two home runs, and eight total runs. On Monday, in just 4⅔ innings, Anderson allowed four doubles, two home runs and five runs.

The 10 hits and two home runs allowed both matched season highs for Anderson.

Paul Goldschmidt added a solo home run in the eighth inning to widen the D-backs lead to four runs. The eight extra-base hits by Arizona (five doubles, three home runs) were one shy of the season high allowed by the Dodgers, and the third time the Dodgers have allowed at least eight extra-base hits in a game.

Grandal's all right?

Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning off Matt Reynolds to cut the Dodgers deficit to two runs. It was the first home run for Grandal since Aug. 1, and his 16th on the season. Grandal, who has been battling left shoulder inflammation for over a month, hit it right-handed, his first home run of the season from that side and his first as a right-hander since June 15, 2013, snapping a span of 175 plate appearances without.

As a right-handed batter this season, Grandal is hitting .320/.414/.400 in 58 plate appearances, now with one home run.

The home run also continued a trend. Yasmany Tomas has now homered in three games against the Dodgers this season — June 10, June 29, and Monday night. Yasmani Grandal has also homered in each of those games.

Power play

Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to seven games. It was also his 28th home run of the season, his most hit since joining the Dodgers and the most for Gonzalez in a season since hitting 31 home runs with San Diego in 2010.

Gonzalez also walked and doubled, and is hitting .375 (12-for-32) during his hitting streak.

Rookie record

After the two-out home run by Gonzalez in the first inning, Howie Kendrick and Andre Ethier followed with singles, then Corey Seager hit a double to bring home another run, giving the Dodgers four straight hits and a 2-0 lead. Seager later walked, and has reached base (by hit, walk or hit by pitch) in each of his first 16 major league starts, the longest streak by a Los Angeles Dodger.

Seager surpassed Bill Russell's LA franchise record, per STATS LLC. The last Dodgers rookie to open his career with a longer streak was Jim Gilliam, who reached base in each of his first 24 starts in 1953.

Up next

Alex Wood takes the mound for the Dodgers on Tuesday night as the team tries to snap a three-game skid, while fellow southpaw Robbie Ray starts for Arizona.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Adrian Gonzalez (28), Yasmani Grandal (16); Yasmany Tomas (9), Aaron Hill (6); Paul Goldschmidt (29)

WP - Jhoulys Chacin (1-1): 5⅓ IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP - Brett Anderson (9-9): 4⅔ IP, 10 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout