Dodgers tack on late to overwhelm Diamondbacks

Editor’s note: We are with the Arizona Diamondbacks every game this season and will have you covered here from starting lineups to the last word from the club house. This is your home for D-Backs game day news and analysis.

Dodgers tack on late to overwhelm Diamondbacks

LOS ANGELES – Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame a sloppy defensive game to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4 Saturday night.

Alex Wood (1-0) pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win and Kenley Jansen got the last four outs for his third save of the season.

Los Angeles went ahead 5-4 in the fifth on Arizona catcher Chris Herrmann’s throwing error —one of five errors in the game — and Puig padded the lead with his fourth homer of the season off Diamondbacks closer Fernando Rodney.

BOX SCORE: Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 4

Austin Barnes also went deep for the Dodgers, getting his first career homer.

Nick Ahmed hit a three-run shot for Arizona.

Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin (1-2) struggled in his six innings, giving up five runs — three earned — and nine hits with three walks.

– Associated Press

Corbin recovers from rocky start

Patrick Corbin’s outing didn’t start the way he would have wanted, but the Diamondbacks left-hander managed to work six innings and log what will go down as a quality start.

Corbin gave up two runs in the first after going double, single, double to the first three batters he faced, and Austin Barnes launched a home run off the foul pole in left to notch the Dodgers’ third run an inning later.

Corbin allowed two more runs, but both were unearned. He finished with five runs (three earned) in six innings, leaving with the Dodgers leading 5-4.

Ahmed powers D-Backs early vs. Dodgers

The Diamondbacks received a lot of production on Saturday from an unlikely offensive source: the normally light-hitting Nick Ahmed.

Ahmed connected for a three-run home run off Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda in the second inning, then shot an RBI single into center field two innings later.

The home run was the first three-run homer – the first home run he’d hit with more than one runner on base – in Ahmed’s career.

The night represents what thus far has been a rare start for Ahmed, who lost out after a competition for the starting shortstop’s job during spring training. In the team’s 12th game of the season, this was Ahmed’s fourth time in the starting lineup.

The Diamondbacks trailed the Dodgers 5-4 after six innings.

Lovullo: Pollock needs rest

The past week has not been a productive one at the plate for A.J. Pollock, but manager Torey Lovullo says production played no part in his decision to leave the Diamondbacks’ center fielder out of the lineup on Saturday night.

In the past six games, Pollock is 2 for 27 with no walks and six strikeouts, but Lovullo said the day off is all about keeping Pollock fresh, the same reason he gave when he had Pollock on the bench last weekend.

Pollock is certainly going to be well-rested. Not only has he had a recent day off, the club also was off on Thursday.

When Pollock’s recent results at the plate were mentioned by a reporter, Lovullo said, “I don’t really pay attention to a lot of those things.”

“I know that whether the at-bats are good or bad right now,” he continued, “I wanted A.J. to have a day off because that’s what’s required of me as a manager to give these guys rest at the right time.”

Lovullo said he isn’t going to try to get Pollock in the lineup 150 times after he missed most of last season due to injuries.

Lovullo noted that Pollock has contributed defensively – Pollock made what might have been a game-saving catch in San Francisco earlier on the road trip – and said that he won’t be paying attention to his center fielder’s stats for the first month of the season, in large part because he missed so much time last year.

“The first 100 at-bats are where a player is kind of eased back into the season,” Lovullo said. “He missed an entire year last year, so I’m going to throw out the first month of what I see from him, good or bad. It’s not going to determine if he’s going to play or not. I know he’s missed a lot of time, and he’s exactly where he should be right now.”

Injury updates

Lovullo said right-handers Jake Barrett and Rubby De La Rosa continue to make progress in their returns from injuries, but he continued to be vague about their rehab paths and what steps would come next.

Barrett, who was slowed by shoulder problems that popped up early in camp, has made two appearances in extended spring training, most recently on Friday, when he threw 17 pitches in an outing that Lovullo said went “very well.”

De La Rosa, who is being slowly brought back following elbow problems that bothered him most of last season, pitched in extended spring training on Thursday. Lovullo said that the next step for De La Rosa “has yet to be determined.”

On Friday, outfielder Gregor Blanco, who suffered a strained oblique late in camp, threw from a distance of 120 feet and took normal batting practice for the first time, Lovullo said.

Haren sighting

Former big leaguer Dan Haren, the club’s pitching strategist, was at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, and Lovullo said he visited with him pregame. Haren helps prepare reports on how the club’s pitchers – particularly the starters – will attack opposing hitters.

For Haren, who was with the team occasionally during spring training, it was his first appearance with the club since the season started. He usually works remotely.

“He’s giving us really, really useful information,” Lovullo said. “It’s nice to know he’s a part of this program. You forget that he’s working as hard as he is, but when you see everything pop up you know somebody is putting in some hours.”

Lineup: Pollock sits again

Center fielder A.J. Pollock is getting his second day off of the season, and it comes at a time when he’s not swinging the bat well.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo has Jeremy Hazelbaker leading off and playing center field on Saturday night against the Dodgers and right-hander Kenta Maeda.

Pollock is just 2 for 27 in his past six games, including an 0 for 4 night on Friday against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw.

Pollock also did not start the second game of the Indians’ series at Chase Field on April 8.

1. Jeremy Hazelbaker, CF

2. David Peralta, RF

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Jake Lamb, 3B

5. Brandon Drury, 2B

6. Daniel Descalso, LF

7. Nick Ahmed, SS

8. Chris Herrmann, C

9. Patrick Corbin, P

Saturday’s game 

Diamondbacks at Dodgers

When: 6:10 p.m.

Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (1-1, 1.80) vs. Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda (1-1, 6.30).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Corbin threw well on Sunday against the Indians, giving up just four hits and two walks in six scoreless innings as the Diamondbacks completed a sweep of the defending American League champs. … Corbin lasted just four innings against the Giants in his first start of the year. … He struggled against the Dodgers last season, posting a 4.74 ERA in 24 2/3 innings, the rare left-handed pitcher who did not post good numbers against them a year ago. … Maeda had a strong first season in the U.S. last year, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 3.48 ERA in 175 2/3 innings. … He has lasted five innings in each of his two starts, giving up three runs against the Padres and four vs. the Rockies at Coors Field. … In six starts against the Diamondbacks last season, Maeda had a 2.97 ERA with 34 strikeouts and just seven walks in 33 1/3 innings.

Coming up

Sunday: At Los Angeles, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (1-1, 4.91) vs. Dodgers LHP Rich Hill (1-0, 1.80).

Monday: At Los Angeles, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (1-0, 2.19) vs. Dodgers RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.50).

Tuesday: At San Diego, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (1-1, 5.06) vs. Padres RHP Zach Lee (1-0, 0.00).