For a second straight night, the Dodgers found themselves down four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. But this time, there would be no comeback, falling to the Diamondbacks 4-2 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers had no real answer for Braden Shipley, making just his second major league start. He allowed five hits and a walk in his six innings, but the Dodgers didn’t score against him.
Shipley induced 10 ground ball outs and struck out four in his six scoreless frames to earn his first major league win.
The loss, coupled with the Giants’ win earlier on Saturday, moved the Dodgers to two games back in the National League West, the first day the Dodgers have lost ground in the division since July 7.
Jean Segura led off the game with a home run on an 0-2 count against Scott Kazmir, the 13th time in 21 starts this season that Kazmir allowed at least one run in the opening inning. In total, Kazmir has allowed 19 runs in the first inning this season for an 8.14 ERA.
It was the 10th time in the last 12 games that the Diamondbacks have scored in the first inning. But they weren’t done.
The second inning saw more extra-base hits and two more runs from Arizona, this time thanks to three doubles, including one by Segura, who later reached base a third time in a most painful fashion, taking a fastball in the upper back from Pedro Baez in the seventh inning.
But after the rough start, Kazmir settled down and pitched into the seventh inning, retiring 15 of 16 batters at one point, including striking out the side in the sixth.
He allowed a two-out hit to Phil Gosselin down the right field line, but Andrew Toles made a strong throw that beat Gosselin to second base. Gosselin was originally called out, which would have ended the inning, but upon instant replay review was overturned because shortstop Corey Seager first tagged the infield dirt before Gosselin.
That ended Kazmir’s night at 109 pitches, and he got another run charged to his ledger when Baez, after hitting Segura, allowed an RBI single to Brandon Drury, giving Arizona a 4-0 lead.
The Dodgers scratched a run across in the seventh inning, then Joc Pederson hit a solo home run in the ninth, but that was it.
Doubles record
Seager doubled with two outs in the third inning, his 30th double on the season, tying the LA Dodgers’ rookie record, set by Eric Karros in 1992.
It was also the ninth double against Arizona in 11 games this season for Seager, the most doubles hit by a Dodger against the Diamondbacks in one season. Andre Ethier held the previous mark, with eight doubles in 16 games against Arizona in 2008.
Seager’s last eight doubles have been hit against the Diamondbacks, all since the All-Star break.
Up next
The Dodgers finish off their five-game homestand on Sunday afternoon, with Bud Norris on the mound in the series finale against the Diamondbacks. Arizona counters with left-hander Patrick Corbin in the 1:10 p.m. PT game.
Saturday particulars
Home runs: Joc Pederson (15); Jean Segura (9)
WP - Braden Shipley (1-1): 6 IP, 5 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
LP - Scott Kazmir (9-4): 6⅔ IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 7 strikeouts
Sv - Jake Barrett (3): 1⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 strikeout