Five double plays, late home run key Diamondbacks comeback over the Dodgers

A battle of bullpens decided Tuesday night’s game at Chase Field, with Dodgers relievers unable to match zeroes with the Diamondbacks in a 5-3 loss.

Brusdar Graterol, the fourth Los Angeles reliever on Tuesday, allowed the bullpen’s first hit of the game. Unfortunately for him, it followed a four-pitch walk, and the hit was a home run by David Peralta.

The Dodgers threatened throughout the game, reaching base 15 times, but failed to score after the first inning. They had five different rallies neutered by double plays. The battle for most costly had two contenders.

A sharp liner by Mookie Betts into short left field with two runners on and one out in the seventh inning, a ball with an expected batting average of .450 per Statcast. Chris Taylor never hesitated, running at the crack of the bat, and was easily doubled off after David Peralta caught the ball in the outfield.

Justin Turner doubled to put two in scoring position with one out in the eighth. After a 2-0 count, Max Muncy was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Will Smith, whose sharp grounder to third baseman Sergio Alcantara (expected batting average .470) ended the inning.

Five Arizona relievers combined for five scoreless innings.

Both starting pitchers were pulled after allowing three runs in four inning, both with pitch counts in the mid-70s.

The Dodgers were patient with Zach Davies, taking two walks in the opening inning before an infield single by Max Muncy loaded the bases. Smith, who homered on Monday night, cleared the bases with a two-out, three-run double. Davies needed 30 pitches to get through the inning.

Tony Gonsolin’s rough inning came in the third inning, which was exacerbated by Gavin Lux yanking a routine throw to first base. Gonsolin also walked and hit a batter in the frame, which helped inflate his pitch count to 33 for that inning alone.

Outside of the third inning, Gonsolin was otherwise sharp, striking out five on the night, including four in the first two innings. He was especially effective with his curveball (nine called strikes) and his splitter (five swing and misses).

Davies walked four on the night, but the Dodgers weren’t able to cash anything in after the first against Davies. Davies was helped when the hardest hit against him, a 104.4-mph drive by Justin Turner to the center field wall, was ably tracked down by Daulton Varsho, who was a catcher of this play, and I don’t mean his 44 career starts behind the plate.

Tuesday particular

Home run: David Peralta (2)

WP — Ian Kennedy (1-1): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

LP — Brusdar Graterol (0-1): 1 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Sv — Mark Melancon (3): 3 up, 3 down

Up next

Julio Urías starts the road trip finale, an afternoon game (12:40 p.m., SportsNet LA) just like the final game of every Dodgers series to date this season. Zac Gallen starts for the Diamondbacks.