Dodgers Get Snake Bit By Diamondbacks in 12-4 Blowout

When the Los Angeles Dodgers look back on this day, they may be mad we gave it attention.

After a rare off day, the Dodgers were destroyed by the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-4 in the first game of a three-game series at Chase Field on Friday night.

Welington Castillo, Paul Goldschmidt, and Nick Ahmed all homered as Arizona had the Dodgers waving the white flag by the end of the second inning.

The Diamondbacks sent 18 batters to the plate as they batted around in each of the first two innings, putting up 10 runs before the Dodgers could record six outs.

"In this ballpark, you actually have a chance to get back in it," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of the early 10-run deficit. "After a while, we just tried to make sure we saved our guys."

Jus six days after throwing seven shutout innings in a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Padres, Alex Wood was hammered by the D-backs, allowing six runs on eight hits in just 1.2 innings. His shortest start of the season.

"The last game was probably my best start since coming over here, and probably today was the worst one of the year," Wood said. "It's a cruel game. You just have to chalk it up to one of those nights. I'm going to put the work in the next couple of days and get ready for the next one."

Relief pitcher Pedro Baez came in to the game in the bottom of the second inning to stop the bleeding, but quickly followed in Wood's footsteps, surrendering a two-run homer to Ahmed before recording a single out.

In all, the Dodgers combined six different pitchers to get through the game, with September call up, Ian Thomas, lasting the longest with three innings of relief.

"I'm happy we have a lot of guys in the bullpen, because nights like these are when those guys aren't too happy for you," Wood said. "From that standpoint, it was pretty frustrating."

Goldschmidt finished 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, Chris Owings was 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, and Ahmed was a perfect 4-for-4, falling a triple shy of the cycle with a home run, two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored.

The lone bright spot for Los Angeles came in the top of the ninth inning when Justin Ruggiano made sure the Dodgers would not be shutout, nor would they lose by double-digits.

Ruggiano hit a two-out grand slam off of Arizona reliever Allen Webster to make the score 12-4. Ruggiano has been on a tear since he was acquired at the waiver trade deadline, hitting thee home runs and knocking in 10 RBIs over that span.

Corey Seager made his seventh start for the Dodgers at shortstop and reached base safely all four times he came to the plate, finishing 1-for-1 with three walks. Seager has seven hits, in his seven starts since being called up to the big leagues on September 2.

Dodgers third string catcher, Austin Barnes came into the game in the bottom of the sixth to take over third base for Justin Turner. Barnes played second and third base growing up before he was converted into a catcher after he was drafted in 2011 by the Miami Marlins.

The game was easily one that the Dodgers want to quickly forget, but thankfully, tomorrow is another day as Mike Bolsinger takes the mound against his former team at 5:10 PM PST.

With the Dodgers loss and the San Francisco Giants victory over the Padres, LA's lead in the NL West shrank to 7.5 games.

Game Notes:
The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers lost a game by the score of 12-4 was July 30, 2002.