Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 0
PHOENIX, Apr. 25 — Walker Buehler threw a three-hit shutout, striking out 10 to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4–0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday night.
Buehler only allowed four baserunners, three via singles and one hit batsman. Two runners made it to second, but neither advanced any further. Buehler became the first pitcher in either league to throw a complete game, let alone a shutout, in the 2022 season.
The Dodgers scored two quick runs off Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly in the top of the first inning. Right fielder Mookie Betts walked and advanced to third on a follow-up double to the right-field corner by first baseman Freddie Freeman. Shortstop Trea Turner belted a double to left, scoring both runners. That one hit brought it more runs than Kelly had given up all season.
Kelly did not give up another run until the top of the fifth. Betts started it all again, this time with another single. He stole second before advancing to third on a grounder to second by Freeman. After a fly to right by Trea Turner, one that saw a collision between second baseman Ketel Marte and right fielder Pavin Smith, Max Muncy plated Betts with a double to the gap in right-center. The Dodgers tacked on a fourth run in the top of the eighth off left-handed reliever and recent call-up Tyler Gilbert. It came in the form of a no-doubt homer to left by catcher Will Smith.
Postgame Reflections
Manager Torey Lovullo said, “Buehler had really good stuff. We went out of the zone a few times and gave him a chance to look even better and work even more efficiently. In those critical counts, we have to be a little bit more stubborn. Those 1–0, 2–1 counts that we push out of our favor, making it 1–1 instead of 2–0 and 2–2 instead of 3–1. When he’s going that well, you put yourself in a really big bind.”
Designated hitter Seth Beer said about Buehler, “You just have to tip your hat to a guy like that. He pitched a heck of a game.” He later added that Buehler was “attacking and filling up the zone with all kinds of pitches, so you can’t just be sitting there looking for one…. He’s an incredible pitcher.”
Merrill Kelly
Lovullo praised Merrill Kelly’s effort. “Merrill was, after two quick runs, fantastic in closing the door, closing the gap up,” he said, “limiting them to one run over the next five innings. (It was) the second time anyone has gone six. We depend on him to do that.”
Kelly said that “That leadoff walk to Mookie — against a team like (the Dodgers), you can’t afford to do that right out of the chute. First pitch to Freddie was a cutter that didn’t cut. So I left it over the plate, and he put a good swing on it. The pitch to Trea, I thought, was a pretty good changeup in the bottom of the zone. He kind of beat it in the ground, but he just so happened to sneak it down the line to score those two.
“I didn’t feel the best today. It was one of those days that I’ve talked about before, a grinder of a day. So against that team, to be able to go six and keep us in the game, I was happy.”
Looking Ahead
Buehler earned the win for the Dodgers after tossing the first shutout of his career, while Kelly took a tough loss. The Dodgers (12–4) and Diamondbacks (6–11) will play the second game of their three-game series Tuesday night at Chase Field. A pair of righties will take the hill, Tony Gonsolin for the Dodgers and Zach Davies for the Diamondbacks. First pitch will be at 6:40 pm Arizona Time.
Main Photo:
Players Mentioned:
Walker Buehler, Merrill Kelly, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Ketel Marte, Pavin Smith, Max Muncy, Tyler Gilbert, Will Smith, Torey Lovullo, Seth Beer, Tony Gonsolin, Zach Davies
