SB Nation Arizona - Diamondbacks Vs. Dodgers: Clutch Hitting Leads D-Backs To 5-1 Win Over LAhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2012-05-15T22:22:20-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27831252012-05-15T22:22:20-07:002012-05-15T22:22:20-07:00D-Backs Finally Find Clutch Hitting En Route To 5-1 Victory Over Dodgers
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<p>The <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> finally found some clutch hitting on Tuesday, as the snakes were able to come through with runners in scoring position in route to a 5-1 victory over the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. The Diamondbacks salvaged a split in the two-game series with their NL West rivals.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks got on the board in the second inning, when <span>Gerardo Parra</span> walked with the bases loaded to give the D-Backs a 1-0 lead.</p>
<p>It was the middle of the lineup that did they most damage, and it was the fifth inning that turned out to the be difference Tuesday night. With the bases loaded in the fifth, <span>Justin Upton</span>, <span>Miguel Montero</span> and <span>Jason Kubel</span> delivered consecutive RBI singles to increase the Diamondback's lead to 4-0.</p>
<p>After a <span>Mark Ellis</span> solo home run cut the Diamondback's lead to 4-1, <span>Lyle Overbay</span> increased the D-Backs' lead with a sacrifice fly that scored Montero in the seventh inning.</p>
<p><span>Wade Miley</span> (4-1) posted another solid outing for the Diamondbacks, as the left-hander went 6 2/3 innings giving up only one earned on eight hits. Miley out dueled LA starter <span>Chad Billingsley</span>, who was pulled with no outs in the fifth after giving up four earned runs.</p>
<p>After a perfect eighth from David Hernandez, <span>J.J. Putz</span> closed out the game in a non-save situation.</p>
<p>The heart of the Diamondbacks order, consisting of Upton, Montero and Kubel, combined for five hits and three RBI's. <span>Willie Bloomquist</span> went went 3-4 with a run scored and a walk.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks continue their seven-game road trip in Colorado for a two-game series with the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockies</a> beginning on Wednesday.</p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/15/3023537/arizona-diamondbacks-5-1-victory-over-la-dodgersRyan Bafaloukos2012-05-15T16:52:51-07:002012-05-15T16:52:51-07:00Diamondbacks Vs. Dodgers Lineup: No Matt Kemp For Arizona To Deal With
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<p>The most interesting part of today's lineup for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> is the absence of <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span>, the D-Backs first baseman.</p>
<p>Interesting Dodgers notes about the lineup: <span>Andre Ethier</span> has never started in center field before this game (except may for the 2010 All-Star Game). <span>Scott Van Slyke</span> will also be making his first start in the majors, and he'll be batting third on the lineup.</p>
<p>Here's the lineup for today's game between Arizona and Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Diamondbacks:<br>Parra 8<br>Bloomquist 6<br>Upton 9<br>Montero 2<br>Kubel 7<br>Roberts 5<br>Overbay 3<br>Hill 4<br>Miley 1<br><br>Dodgers:<br>Gordon 6<br>M Ellis 4<br>Van Slyke 9<br>Ethier 8<br>AJ Ellis 2<br>Sands 7<br>Loney 3<br>Sellers 5<br>Billingsley 1</p>
<p><i><b>To learn more about the game from Dodgers fans,<a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com"> head on over to True Blue LA</a>. To discuss the upcoming game with D-Backs fans, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azsnakepit.com">hit up AZ Snake Pit</a>. </b></i></p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/15/3022986/arizona-diamondbacks-vs-los-angeles-dodgers-lineup-previewAvinash Kunnath2012-05-15T10:00:29-07:002012-05-15T10:00:29-07:00Ian Kennedy, Clayton Kershaw, Beanballs And A Lesson For Cole Hamels
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<p>On Monday night, a little bit of old school baseball was present in the 3-1 loss the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> suffered at the hands of the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. During the game, <span>Ian Kennedy</span> threw two purpose pitches at his opposing starting pitcher, <span>Clayton Kershaw</span>. Kershaw later retaliated with an inside pitch to Kennedy.</p>↵<p>It stems from a season ago. Last September, <span>Gerardo Parra</span> hit a homer that he watched a bit too long (he pimped it). The next game, Kershaw plunked him and got ejected.</p>↵<p>This time out, Kennedy sent the message back at Kershaw. He buzzed him high and tight and then threw a ball behind him. After the pitch behind him, Kershaw looked to the D-backs' dugout and smiled -- message received. Of course, that wasn't the end. He buzzed one in on Kennedy, which resulted in a warning for both teams.</p>↵<p>After the game, when asked about it, Kennedy and catcher <span>Miguel Montero</span> were coy on the subject. Their reasoning for going inside? Kershaw's "long swing."</p>↵<p>Recently, <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phillies</a> starter <span>Cole Hamels</span> ended up suspended for beaning young phenom <span>Bryce Harper</span> and then owning up to it.</p>↵<p>Kennedy did it the right way. He threw at Kershaw. He made his point. Then he pretended like it wasn't on purpose. As absurd as it sounds, blatantly admitting you threw at a guy is not the way baseball works. Had Hamels done the same thing, he would not have been suspended.</p>↵<p>With another game left in the Dodgers series and another one next week, what are the odds of another pitch being thrown to send a message? Based on Monday night, you have to think so.</p>↵<p><b><i>For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter </i></b><a href="http://twitter.com/sbnarizona" target="_blank"><b><i>@SBNArizona</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b><b><i>and "Like" us </i></b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sbnarizona" target="_blank"><b><i>on Facebook.</i></b></a><b><i></i></b></p>↵<p><b><i>Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at </i></b><a href="http://azsnakepit.com/"><b><i>AZ Snakepit</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>↵
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/15/3021363/ian-kennedy-clayton-kershaw-beanballs-and-a-lesson-for-cole-hamelsJess Root2012-05-14T22:17:31-07:002012-05-14T22:17:31-07:00Diamondbacks Lose Third Straight, Fall Further Back In NL West
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<p>More: <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2012/5/15/3021092/diamondbacks-dodgers-clayton-kershaw-aaron-hill?utm_source=article&utm_medium=position1&utm_campaign=relatedlinks"><i>Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1: Fundamentally Flawed</i></a></p>
<p>In a roundabout way, it can be argued that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> are somewhat responsible for the resurgence of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>.</p>
<p>Fans will recall last September, when the Diamondbacks were steaming toward an NL West title and the Dodgers were playing out the string. Arizona's <span>Gerardo Parra</span> took exception to a pitch high and tight from LA's Hong Chih-Kuo and, well, grabbed his private parts as an insult.</p>
<p>Parra homered off Kuo in the same at-bat, then preened and postured for a bit before circling the bases. The Dodgers weren't happy being shown up, and <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/9/15/2428470/derrick-hall-cant-say-diamondbacks-will-clinch-nl-west" target="_blank">ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw decided to step forward </a>for his team and plunked Parra the next night.</p>
<p>That night, Kershaw became a bonafide leader. The Dodgers came together as a team, finished 17-9 in September and over .500 (82-79) for the season.</p>
<p>The good feeling, despite a lack of ownership, seemed to have carried over to this season, and now there are new team owners. The Dodgers are the toast of the division, winning every which way possible, and Monday night at Dodger Stadium was more of the same in their 3-1 victory without the services of star center fielder <span>Matt Kemp</span>.</p>
<p>Kemp's bum hamstring kept him out, and ended his consecutive games streak at 399. But the Dodgers did a lot of little things to win and didn't need their star.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks clearly remembered Kershaw's action from last September, and starting pitcher <span>Ian Kennedy</span> threw behind Kershaw when he was up to bat in the third inning. So what did Kershaw do? He threw high and tight to Kennedy in the top of the fifth. Both teams were warned.</p>
<p>There weren't a whole lot of fans at the game -- a lot of people probably stayed home to watch the Lakers in the playoffs -- but reportedly 24,312 saw a battle of pitching aces. Kershaw won it -- he didn't allow a run and scattered four hits over seven innings.</p>
<p><span>Dee Gordon</span>, a leadoff man who is quite a disappointment as a hitter but when he gets on base, makes things happen, singled to lead off the bottom of the first. He took third on a wild pickoff throw by Kennedy and scored on a groundout by <span>Mark Ellis</span>.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks had a great chance to tie, but <span>A.J. Pollock</span> was thrown out at home by the Dodgers' <span>Tony Gwynn Jr.</span> on a single by <span>Willie Bloomquist</span> in the third inning. Close play, but Pollock was just barely out.</p>
<p>Kennedy (3-3) settled down until the Dodgers' sixth, when <span>Andre Ethier</span> blasted a home run deep into the right field pavilion and the Dodgers turned a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly into an insurance run.</p>
<p>The Dodgers, according to <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/" target="_blank">SB Nation's True Blue LA</a>, are 49-21 in their last 70 games. They're 24-11 in 2012 and have won five straight. Arizona is 15-21 and 9.5 games out of first place.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks threatened in the seventh as <span>Ryan Roberts</span> singled and stole second. Pollock hit a bullet right to Dodgers first baseman <span>James Loney</span>, who speared it and got the second out, and the threat eventually ended.</p>
<p>Arizona finally got on the board with <span>Aaron Hill's</span> eighth-inning home run off reliever <span>Josh Lindblom</span>. But Loney and third base substitute <span>Justin Sellers</span> made great catches in the dugout and seats in foul territory in the ninth and fizzled any hopes of an Arizona comeback.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks are 2-8 in their last 10 games. They're really missing <span>Stephen Drew</span>, Chris Young and <span>Daniel Hudson</span>. One wonders if personnel changes are at hand.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/14/3021069/diamondbacks-lose-third-straight-fall-further-back-in-nl-westJose Romero2012-05-14T18:30:06-07:002012-05-14T18:30:06-07:00Stephen Drew Rehab Could Begin This Weekend, According To Reports
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<p>Shortstop <span>Stephen Drew</span> could begin his rehab on Sunday according to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> manager Kirk Gibson. Drew practiced sliding on Saturday for the first time since fracturing his ankle on a slide last July.</p>
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<p>Dbacks manager Kirk Gibson said shortstop Stephen Drew could begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Reno on Sunday.</p>
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickpiecoro/status/202202003370295296" data-datetime="2012-05-15T01:01:28+00:00">May 15, 2012</a>
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<p>Gibson stopped short of saying Drew is nearing finish line. Don't know how games will play out or how his ankle will react to situations.</p>
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) <a data-datetime="2012-05-15T01:03:04+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/nickpiecoro/status/202202404630970368">May 15, 2012</a>
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<p>According to the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fsports%2Farticles%2F2012%2F05%2F12%2F20120512arizona-diamondbacks-stephen-drew-takes-major-step-rehabilitation.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Farizona.sbnation.com%2Farizona-diamondbacks%2F2012%2F5%2F14%2F3020865%2Fstephen-drew-rehab-assignment-injury-return-triple-a-reno" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Arizona Republic</a>, took six hard slides into a mat and three slides on the field before the Diamondbacks' game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">San Francisco Giants</a> at Chase Field on Saturday.</p>
<p>The six-year MLB veteran has a career average of .270 and has been the Diamondbacks starting shortstop since 2007. </p>
<p>Gibson did not say when the Diamondbacks expected Drew to return to the big league club. In fact, the team has not had a timetable on Drew's return all season long. The organization has been patient in Drew's recovery process ever since the <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/spring2012/story/_/id/7766491/2012-spring-training-arizona-diamondbacks-say-stephen-drew-rehab-expectations-were-unrealistic" target="_blank">beginning of spring training</a>.</p>
<p><span>Willie Bloomquist</span> has started in the place of Drew since his injury. Bloomquist is struggling at the plate this season, only hitting .212 in 27 games and 99 at-bats as of Monday night. </p>
<p><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For more on the D-backs, visit <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #a82a00; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/">AZ Snake Pit</a>.</i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/14/3020865/stephen-drew-rehab-assignment-injury-return-triple-a-renoKevin Cacabelos2012-05-14T10:32:56-07:002012-05-14T10:32:56-07:00Diamondbacks Vs. Dodgers: Series Preview, Pitching Probables, For 2-Game Set
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<p>Monday night the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> will begin a two-game road series against the first place <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. The Dodgers have been quite surprising in the fact that they have the best record in major league baseball right not at 23-11. They hold a six-game lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">San Francisco Giants</a> and lead the D-backs by 8.5 games. </p>
<p>Centerfielder <span>Matt Kemp</span> is leading the way for LA. He is hitting .359 with 12 homers and 28 RBI. Not to be outdone is former Arizona State Sun Devil Andre Ethier, who has driven in 32 runs while batting .302. </p>
<p>Their starting pitching has been solid. Three of their five starters have ERAs in the twos, including a name that D-backs fans may recall -- <span>Chris Capuano</span> -- one of the pitchers sent to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Milwaukee Brewers</a> years ago to acquire <span>Richie Sexson</span>. </p>
<p>Playing at Dodger Stadium will be a challenge for Arizona. LA is 15-3 on the year at home. The D-backs play better on the road than at home, but still are only 8-8.</p>
<p>Arizona enters the series having lost nine of their last 11 games and five of six during their recent homestand. </p>
<p>Here are the probable pitching matchups for the two games and their times:</p>
<p>Monday, 7:10 PM: <span>Ian Kennedy</span> (3-2, 3.91) vs. <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> (2-1, 2.56)</p>
<p>Tuesday, 7:10 PM: <span>Wade Miley</span> (3-1, 2.76) vs. <span>Chad Billingsley</span> (2-2, 3.32)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/14/3019773/diamondbacks-vs-dodgers-series-preview-pitching-probables-for-2-gameJess Root2012-05-14T06:01:09-07:002012-05-14T06:01:09-07:00Arizona Diamondbacks Schedule: On The Road For 2 2-Game Series And Interleague Play
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<p>Looking ahead at the D-backs' seven game roadie this week.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> were supposed to return home to Chase Field and get things on track. After winning four of their first five games on their last road trip, things looked good. However, they went 1-4 in their last five of the roadie and then pulled a 1-5 homestand against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">San Francisco Giants</a>. </p>
<p>Now the D-backs hit the road again for seven games without an off day. </p>
<p>They will play two two-game miniseries against division foes -- the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a>. </p>
<p>After the two divisional series, they will head to the midwest for their first interleague series of the season. They will take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> and get to fundamentally play differently. They will use a designated hitter.</p>
<p>Can Arizona get some things turned around during their road trip? They turn to <span>Ian Kennedy</span> to jump start the trip against Los Angeles, who have been playing amazingly well this season so far. </p>
<p><b><i>Looking ahGet more Diamondbacks coverage over at </i></b><a href="http://azsnakepit.com/"><b><i>AZ Snakepit</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
<p><b><i>For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter </i></b><a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/sbnarizona"><b><i>@SBNArizona</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b><b><i>and "Like" us </i></b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/sbnarizona"><b><i>on Facebook.</i></b></a><b><i></i></b></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2012/5/14/3019074/arizona-diamondbacks-schedule-on-the-road-for-2-2-game-series-andJess Root