PHOENIX – The first two games of this series were action-packed, both sides trading punches with the Dodgers taking close decisions each night.
Sunday was an early-round knockout.
The Arizona Diamondbacks battered rookie left-hander Justin Wrobleski for eight runs in the second inning Sunday afternoon, bouncing back from losses in the first two games of this showdown series to clobber the Dodgers 14-3.
The loss cut the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West to five games over both the Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
Saturday’s game started with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs, the first time in franchise history the Dodgers started a game with three consecutive home runs.
Those same three hitters struck out consecutively in the third inning Sunday and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quickly raised the white flag, pulling Betts, Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez from the game in the bottom of the third inning.
No cavalry came to save Wrobleski. He threw 41 pitches to 11 batters in that second inning, giving up seven hits – four singles, two doubles and a three-run home run by Randal Grichuk.
And he stuck around for more.
Called up to make a spot start so the Dodgers starters wouldn’t have to go on ‘regular’ rest (four days off between starts), Wrobleski stayed in to absorb the blows for a bullpen that pitched 23 1/3 innings in the previous five games.
Roberts sent Wrobleski back out for the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, letting the rookie throw a career-high (for his six big-league starts) 99 pitches. A Dodgers starter hasn’t thrown more since Jack Flaherty threw 110 against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 9.
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Things did get better for Wrobleski. He gave up a solo home run to Eugenio Suarez leading off the third inning and then another run in the sixth before the longest day of his life finally ended when Roberts pulled him with one out in the sixth.
His career ERA went from 4.68 to 6.82 in the span of about two hours.
Austin Barnes had a three-hit game and Tommy Edman had two hits, making the most of their at-bats in the loss. Gavin Lux was on base three times (two walks and a double).
Ohtani went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, moving no closer to a historic 50-50 season. He has 44 home runs and 43 stolen bases.