The Arizona Diamondbacks got out to a three-run lead, but it took extra innings for Arizona to win their eighth straight game over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jason Kubel homoered in the top of the 11th inning and the D-backs beat the Dodgers 4-3 Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
With two outs in the second inning, the Diamondbacks got on the board. Miguel Montero walked and Chris Johnson tripled to drive him in. Johnson has been very hot at Dodger Stadium this year. Coming into Friday's game, he was hitting .400 at Chavez Ravine.
Arizona would add two more runs in the fifth, and Johnson was in the middle of it. He doubled to lead off and was driven in by starter Trevor Cahill. With one out, Cahill would score on a double by Aaron Hill.
But Cahill would give those two runs right back in the bottom of the inning. It was a frustrating inning for him. He got the first two hitters out and then three times was one strike out of getting out of the inning without allowing a run. Luis Cruz singled with two strikes. Cahill hit A.J. Ellis. Pinch hitter Nick Punto fell behind 0-2 and singled on a 2-2 pitch to load the bases. Then, again after getting ahead of Mark Ellis 0-2, he allowed a single to drive in two runs.
Los Angeles would tie the score the next inning. With one out, Matt Kemp walked and stole second. After Hanley Ramirez flew out and moved Kemp to third, left-hander Mike Zagurski was called upon to relieve Cahill and pitch to lefty Andre Ethier. He was unable to retire him and, also with two strikes, allowed the run-scoring hit by Ethier to tie the score. Bryan Shaw come in to replace Zagurski and got the final out.
Arizona got the first two runners on in the eighth, but Paul Goldschmidt struck out and Justin Upton hit into a double play. In the ninth, Miguel Montero led off with a single but was erased when Chris Johnson blistered a ball, but was robbed of a hit by third baseman Luis Cruz, who turned it into a double play. Jake Elmore struck out. to end their half of the inning.
Kubel homered to lead off the 11th on a 1-1 pitch from reliever Matt Guerrier. Kubel had been struggling mightily and the hit was only his second in over a week. It was his 27th homer of the year.
Brad Bergesen pitched two scoreless innings of relief for Arizona and picked up his first win of the season. J.J. Putz pitched the 11th to pick up his 28th save. Putz made it interesting, walking Hanley Ramirez and giving up a hit to Luis Cruz before getting A.J. Ellis to end the game on a flyout.
Guerrier took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the year.
The series continues Saturday night at 6:10 Arizona time.
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