Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PHOENIX (AP) — Wade Miley had been the best of Arizona's sputtering rotation. Until Saturday night, when he wasn't very good, either.
The Los Angeles Dodgers tagged the left-hander for five runs in five innings in an 8-5 victory over the Diamondbacks.
Miley (2-2) allowed five runs and eight hits, including a two-run homer to longtime Arizona nemesis Adrian Gonzalez.
"I didn't get ahead of guys, a lot of 3-1 counts, a lot of 2-0 counts, 2-1 counts," he said. "I didn't make good pitches tonight, and it cost us. I didn't execute pitches. I didn't throw them where they wanted to be."
With the loss, the Diamondbacks fell to 3-9. They have allowed 14 runs and struck out 23 times in the first two games of the series.
"We don't like losing," manager Kirk Gibson said. "It never makes you feel good. Guys are pressing. They are trying to do well and reverse this cycle, this trend. When it continues to happen it is frustrating."
Zack Greinke (3-0) scattered eight hits but allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings for Los Angeles.
Gonzalez, who had a two-run homer and five RBIs in the series opener Friday, followed that up with a shot to the left-field seats in the third inning.
Gonzalez has 26 career home runs and 84 RBIs against the Diamondbacks, most of any active player in both categories.
He left without talking to reporters on Saturday, but said the previous night he had no good explanation for the success.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said in a career players just have opponents like that.
"There's nothing like good vibes," he said. "You walk into a building and know you've swung the bat good there. There is something to that. You walk in feeling good because you have good memories. A place you go and you've been shut out for five years, you don't have the same type of feeling."
Mattingly put the Dodgers' offensive explosion the last two nights in perspective.
"I think Arizona is just a good place to hit," he said. "You see the ball good here. We have one more day here and then you end up in AT&T (in San Francisco) and the ball doesn't carry and it's not the same. But we have swung the bats well. A lot of contributions from different people."
A.J. Pollock had a pinch-hit homer for the Diamondbacks, who scored three in the ninth off Brandon League, two on Mark Trumbo's two-out double.
Kenley Jansen came in to strike out Gerardo Parra and earn his third save.
Juan Uribe doubled twice and had a two-run single for Los Angeles. Yasiel Puig had a pair of singles, driving in a run.
The Dodgers, who have won four of five, got the leadoff batter on base five times in the first six innings, three via walks, and four of them scored.
Los Angeles scored twice without an out in the second inning. Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk, Scott Van Slyke doubled to put runners at second and third, and Uribe singled to bring both of them home.
Puig led off the third with a single, then with two outs Gonzalez homered to make it 4-0 and give the slugger seven RBIs in the first 12 innings of the series.
Los Angeles added a fifth run in the fourth. Justin Turner led off with a double and scored on Puig's two-out single.
Arizona finally got a run after being blanked for the first 13 innings of the series when Pollock led off the fifth with a home run to the porch in right-center, his first career pinch-hit homer.
The Dodgers got an unearned run without a hit in the sixth. Oliver Perez walked Drew Butera to start the inning. Greinke's bunt advanced the runner to second, then Butera scored when third baseman Martin Prado couldn't handle Matt Kemp's sharp grounder.
J.J. Putz walked Hanley Ramirez with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth to make it 7-1. Cliff Pennington singled in Arizona's second run in the eighth.
NOTES: The Dodgers have Dan Haren (2-0, 0.75 ERA) on the mound Sunday while struggling Trevor Cahill (0-3, 7.90) goes for Arizona. ... The Diamondbacks have lost four of five series to start the season. ... The Diamondbacks have struck out 23 times in the first two games of the series.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
