Sloppiness follows Dodgers home from Miami in loss to D’backs

LOS ANGELES — The Diamondbacks? Really? The team that has one road win in the last two months? You lose to those guys? Well, if you give up two unearned runs and walk home two more, it’s pretty easy to lose to just about anyone. It was another uninspired and uninspiring performance for your Los Angeles Dodgers, as they drop the opening game of this final series before the break to Arizona by a score of 5-2.

Another bullpen night

It was yet another bullpen game at Dodgers Stadium on Friday night. This time, it was David Price who was the first man out of the chute. Though he had quite a bit of traffic on the paths during his three inning of work, he managed to pitch around it and put three zeros on the board to start the game.

Pollock the only bright spot on O

Then, in the bottom of the third, AJ Pollock got things started for the Dodgers off starter Taylor Widener. He connected with a 95-mph four-seamer and drove it deep over the right center field fence for a solo home run. It was Pollock’s fourth homer in eight games and it does look like he is starting to heat up a bit, power-wise.

Sloppy fielding leads to two D’backs runs

Rookie Darien Nunez made his major league debut, and even though he got tagged for the loss, he actually looked pretty good. The Cuban lefty had a nice change-up, and his heater was consistently mid- to high nineties. Unfortunately for him, the middle innings got a little sloppy for the Dodgers, and the D’backs were able to climb into the lead on his watch. First, they got a man on after a Justin Turner fielding error in the top of the fifth. The next hitter, Eduardo Escobar drove a ball just over the right field fence to score the both of them and put the D’backs up 2-1.

Then with Joe Kelly pitching, another error in the seventh, this one by Max Muncy, led to a third run for the Snakes. The Dodgers’ got one back in the bottom of the seventh when Pollock doubled and came around on a couple of ground outs. But, it wasn’t enough.

Uceta can’t find the plate in ninth

The top of the ninth inning was a complete disaster. Trailing only by one, Dave Roberts went inexplicably to Edwin Uceta, who continues to NOT impress. Uceta couldn’t find the strike zone. He walked three Diamondbacks, including light-hitting Daulton Varsho to push another run across for Arizona and put the snakes up 4-2. Jake Reed came in and walked another run home before the inning mercifully ended. It was not a good thing. The Dodgers went down quietly in the ninth for the fourth loss in the last five games.

The Dodgers have the second best record in baseball. But it sure doesn’t feel like it sometimes. The Dodgers try to get back on the right side of the Won/Loss column on Saturday. Walker Buehler takes to the mound to get the momentum back in this last weekend of the first half. Let’s go, boys. Gammy’s getting upset.