Jun 15, 2014
Dodgers plan for sweep of D'backs
The Sports Network
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers aim for a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks when the two NL West rivals clash Sunday afternoon from Chavez Ravine.
The Dodgers have taken the first two tests of this set and five of seven overall, including Saturday's 6-4 triumph behind a solid outing by Dan Haren and the bullpen. Haren, who had a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning, allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 7-4 and three relievers combined to give up just a run.
"After the first inning Dan made his pitches. He's a strike-thrower and he got into a rhythm," said Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly. "His hit gave us the cushion that we needed."
Kenley Jansen surrendered a home run in the ninth, but still recorded his 19th save.
Dee Gordon hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who have won 10 of the 13 games against Arizona this season.
Los Angeles will host Colorado for three games next and hopes Josh Beckett can complete the sweep of the D'backs when he takes the mound Sunday. Beckett is 4-3 with a 2.35 earned run average and has won four of his last six starts. In Tuesday's 6-1 win at Cincinnati, Beckett struck out seven and walked one across six shutout innings.
Beckett has allowed just four runs in his last four appearances and that includes his no-hitter at Philadelphia on May 25. He is only 1-2 in seven home starts and 2-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 10 career starts against Arizona.
Meanwhile, Arizona has dropped four straight and five of its last six games.
Josh Collmenter was dealt the loss Saturday and gave up six runs and eight hits in six innings of work. Collmenter was disappointed about the hit he allowed to Haren.
"You never want to give up a hit to a pitcher, especially in a situation like that," said Collmenter. "He just got a good rip on one and put it in the right spot."
Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer and Martin Prado ended 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI for the Diamondbacks. Prado has 1,000 hits in his career.
The D'backs, who will return to the desert after this series to start a nine- game homestand, hope Bronson Arroyo can salvage this LA series when he takes the mound Sunday. The veteran Arroyo is 6-4 with a 4.22 earned run average and has won back-to-back starts.
Arroyo threw seven innings of one-run ball in a 4-1 win over Houston on Tuesday and is 5-2 in his last seven decisions. The right-hander is 4-2 in seven road assignments and 5-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 16 career games (15 starts) against the Dodgers.
In eight games (7 starts) at Dodger Stadium, Arroyo has a 2-4 record with a 4.85 earned run average.