The Arizona Diamondbacks once again faced an NL West division opponent and once again lost, and lost by one run. Joe Saunders and crew were unable to capitalize on some early hitting against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and fell 4-3 at Dodger Stadium.
The loss was Arizona's fifth in a row and their last six losses have all been by one run. Saunders once again took the loss -- his sixth straight dropped decision, a career-high -- allowing four runs (three earned) over his six and two-thirds innings of work.
Kershaw, after giving up consecutive hits to start the game and a hit and two walks in the third inning, settled down and retired 14 straight D-backs batters before leaving the game with the Dodgers up 4-0.
L.A.'s bullpen provided some anxiety in the eighth and ninth innings before things were through, however. Xavier Nady's eighth-inning single scored Chris Young and Miguel Montera added a two-run single while pinch-hitting in the ninth, scoring Justin Upton and Kelly Johnson. However, the late-game dramatics were not enough to push Arizona to come-from-behind victory.
The game was another in a series of close-but-no-cigar victories; unfortunately, many of the losses have come against division opponents. The Snakes starting rotation and bullpen has begun to settle in and allow the team a chance to win most games, but Arizona is last in the major leagues in runs on the road, which has not proved helpful on their extended NL West road swing.