​LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eduardo Rodríguez shrugged off Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff homer to deliver six solid innings, Tim Tawa homering and driving in four runs, as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-3 on Friday night. Rodríguez (8-3) allowed just that initial burst from Ohtani and Andy Pages, then kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Gabriel Moreno contributed two RBIs, helping Arizona secure its first win at Dodger Stadium in four tries this season.
Ohtani had been slated to start, but Los Angeles opted for a bullpen-heavy approach since the two-way star has been battling left knee inflammation for about a month. On Sunday, Ohtani will have his left knee drained, a procedure that will force him to miss next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia; however, he will continue to serve as the designated hitter for the three-game series against the Diamondbacks. Ohtani’s leadoff homer came on the third pitch of the game, a 381-foot shot to left-center, tying him for the league lead with eight leadoff homers this season alongside Nationals slugger James Wood.
Arizona seized the initiative when Tawa belted his second homer of the season off a fastball in the fourth inning, then added two more runs in each of the following two frames. The Diamondbacks’ offense was buoyed by continued contributions from their lineup, including Tawa’s early blast and Moreno’s clutch RBI hits.
The game took a tough turn for Arizona in the sixth when center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt, Arizona’s top prospect who had been recalled from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day, exited after being struck on the hand by a pitch while attempting to bunt. The injury occurred as Waldschmidt tried to reach base via a bunt attempt. Waldschmidt’s departure came as a setback for the Diamondbacks, who were already navigating a bullpen-heavy game plan.
On the mound for the Dodgers, Will Klein (3-4) took the loss, continuing a bullpen usage pattern that saw seven pitchers used by Los Angeles. For Arizona, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (2-1, 4.84 ERA) was scheduled to start against Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-5, 2.49) on Saturday night, as both teams aimed to rebound from the rough-edged affair.
The game underscored the Diamondbacks’ resilience and offensive depth, culminating in a 9-3 victory that snapped a skid against Los Angeles and demonstrated Arizona’s ability to capitalize on early opportunities, even amid a pitching staff juggling roles in a bullpen-driven setup. As the teams prepared for a pivotal three-game series, Arizona looked to carry its momentum into Saturday’s matchup against Yamamoto, while the Dodgers sought a turnaround against a division rival.
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