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 Kendrick homered and drove in the go-ahead runs, guiding the Los
Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 decision over the Arizona Diamondbacks on
Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Los Angeles second baseman went 2-for-4 with all three RBIs as
the Dodgers (34-25) beat the Diamondbacks for the sixth consecutive
time and the 12th in 14 games. Kendrick has reached base in all
eight of the meetings with Arizona this season. He went 3-for-4 with
a run driven in Monday's 9-3 rout of the Diamondbacks.
However, Tuesday's win was sweeter since he delivered with a clutch
at-bat.
"It's awesome anytime you can help your team win games and come out
of big situations," Kendrick said. "I think any guy in this locker
room would want to be in that moment. To be able to come through and
give us a victory at that time feels great."
After a two-out walk to center fielder Chris Heisey, right fielder
Yasiel Puig laced a double into the gap in left-center to put
runners at second and third in the seventh. The Diamondbacks
intentionally walked first baseman Gonzalez to load the bases.
Kendrick followed with a two-run single up the middle off reliever
Addison Reed, scoring Heisey and Puig, to break up a 1-1 tie.
"Both pitches to Puig and Kendrick, I left them over the plate,"
Reed said. "They weren't good pitches. I left it over the plate, and
they did what they're supposed to do."
Dodgers starter Carlos Frias, who defeated the Diamondbacks the last
time he faced them on May 1, allowed a run on eight hits with three
strikeouts and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. He also threw two wild
pitches, one of which led to a run, but did not figure into the
decision.
"I think he did a really good job today," Dodgers catcher Yasmani
Grandal said of Frias. "I'm really pleased with what he did. He was
throwing his change-up. He threw it a lot more. We used (it) on a
lot of lefties. It seemed like the lefties were looking for the
fastball down and away. We just started throwing backdoor sliders
and change-ups. It seemed like the longer he went on, the more
comfortable he got."
Reliever Adam Liberatore (2-1) struck out the lone batter he faced
in the seventh and Yimi Garcia worked a scoreless eighth. Closer
Kenley Jansen earned his seventh save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Jansen has
saved 12 straight opportunities dating back to last season.
Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray (1-1) was charged with two runs on
four hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings
before yielding to Reed. It was the longest outing of the
23-year-old Ray's career. He has allowed only three runs in 17 2/3
innings with a 1.53 ERA in three starts this year.
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"He did a good job. He had some struggles early, but he battled,"
Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "He had a nice pitch count, and
did a nice job. We'll build on that."
A Frias wild pitch brought home catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia for a
1-0 Diamondbacks' lead in the second inning.
Kendrick's solo home run to right on a 1-2 fastball from Ray tied
the score at 1 with one out in the sixth inning. It was Kendrick's
sixth home run this season, leaving him one shy of tying last year's
total of seven.
"I don't hit a lot of homers, but I'll take them when they come,"
said Kendrick, who homered for the first time this season off a
left-hander. "I was glad to see that one go out."
NOTES: A crowd of 37,738 attended the game. ... Dodgers 3B Justin
Turner was not in the starting lineup, one night after fouling a
ball of his left knee in Monday's game. The Dodgers list Turner as
day-to-day. Alberto Callaspo started at third base. ... CF Joc
Pederson got the day off since manager Don Mattingly believed he was
"worn down." ... Manager Chip Hale rested OF A.J. Pollock, who has
played in 56 of the club's previous 57 games, before using him as a
pinch-hitter in the ninth. Pollock fouled out to 1B Adrian Gonzalez
to end the game. ... Bob Baffert, the trainer for Triple-Crown
winner American Pharoah, threw out the first pitch. ... Diamondbacks
RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 4.88 ERA) will face Dodgers LHP Brett
Anderson (2-4, 3.29 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday.
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