D-backs Pitchers Fail to Execute in Loss to Dodgers

Diamondbacks pitchers didn't record a single strikeout and walked eight Dodgers.

Apr 29, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Tommy Henry (47) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Chase Field. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Diamondbacks dropped the first game against the Dodgers, 8-4. It was a tough night for the bullpen, who allowed six runs that allowed Los Angeles to blow the game open. Arizona pitchers did not record a strikeout and walked eight on the night. It's the ninth time since the 1998 season that a team accomplished that ignominious feat.

"Today we didn't execute on the mound," said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo. "It was a lot of walks, limited swing-and-miss, which equaled no strikeouts, and that is not a good remedy to win baseball. We got to pitch better. Five walks in one inning is unacceptable."

Most of those runs came in a four-run fifth inning when Andrew Saalfrank and Scott McGough walked five Dodgers. Three of those walks came around to score on a pair of two-run doubles, turning a 2-1 game into a 6-1 rout. Lovullo said that Saalfrank's delivery looked out of sync and did not make the adjustments to get back in the strike zone.

Despite the hole their pitching staff dug, the D-backs offense had a chance to make a closer game. They had opportunities to score off Dodgers starter James Paxton. They had opportunities to put up a crooked number, after a leadoff walk by Blaze Alexander and a double off the center field wall by Ketel Marte. They would scratch just one run on a Christian Walker sacrifice fly to center .

They had another chance in the fifth, as they attempted to answer the Dodgers' big inning with one of their own. After loading the bases with one out, Eugenio Suarez singled to bring the tying run to the plate. Randal Grichuk hit a sacrifice fly to deep center and Gabriel Moreno grounded out to short. The D-backs never threatened from that point onward against the Dodgers bullpen, who allowed just a single and a walk over the final four innings.

Tommy Henry, perhaps pitching for his rotation spot, struggled to miss bats against a very good Dodgers lineup. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits through four innings, aided by a pair of double plays to end the first two innings. Henry was feeling fatigued and with a "gassed up" bullpen Lovullo decided to go to Saalfran when the Dodgers lineup turned over for a third time.

"I just felt a little out of whack, it was one of those days from that standpoint," said Henry. "I feel like they happen, you just got to fully commit to not battling yourself. There's a temptation to try to find it or you make a ton of changes. I just tried to throw that out the window today and compete with the hitter, and do the best we could to stay in this game."

Zac Gallen's bullpen went good, with Lovullo announcing he would start Wednesday's series finale in the postgame media session.

The D-backs and Dodgers return to Chase Field Tuesday, with left-hander Jordan Montgomery squaring off against right-hander Landon Knack. First pitch at Chase Field is scheduled for 6:40 PM.