Corbin out-duels Kershaw as D-backs top Dodgers
PHOENIX -- Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw has an arm most would covet, and Diamondbacks' left-hander Patrick Corbin includes himself in that group.
"You ask any pitcher to have Kershaw's arm, and he would love to have it. He's got the some of the best stuff in baseball," Corbin said.
The D-backs will take the result they got from Corbin on Friday every time, after Corbin threw six scoreless innings in out-dueling Dodgers' ace Kershaw for a 3-0 victory at Chase Field.
"Considering it was against a great pitcher, and he matched him pitch for pitch," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said.
Corbin (2-0) gave up three hits and three walks while striking out four in his second straight quality start after winning a three-way battle for the final spot in the starting rotation in spring training.
Kershaw (2-1) stretched his streak of scoreless innings beginning the season to 19 before the D-backs scored on a double-play grounder in the fourth inning. He was charged with two more runs in the eighth, both scoring after he left the game.
"It was a battle for me tonight," Kershaw said. "After the first inning I didn't have a breaking ball. I couldn't find a rhythm with it. I was basically pitching with a fastball all night.
"It was just a frustrating night, especially in the eighth. I could have done some things differently, and it could have been 0-0 in the 10th."
The D-backs built a 1-0 lead with two in the eighth, when Jason Kubel and A.J. Pollock singled and Gerado Parra walked with one to knock out Kershaw at 117 pitches. Reliever Shawn Tolleson walked Prado and Paul Goldschmidt to force in the final two runs.
"I was just trying to get on base and see what happened," Kubel said. "We had great at-bats after that."
Prado reached base all four times, on two singles and two walks. Parra had a single and a walk. Parra and Prado singled before Parra scored on Paul Goldschmidt's double play grounder in the fourth.
Kershaw, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2011 and was second in 2012, threw 16 scoreless innings in his first two appearances, shutting out San Francisco in the season opener, 4-0, and beating Pittsburgh five days later.
"They kept us down. You kind of hate to waste a performance like that from Kersh," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
The D-backs (7-3) have won six straight games against the Dodgers at Chase Field after winning the season series, 12-6, last year.
The Dodgers (6-4) put runners on first and third after a single and a walk with one out in the eighth inning, but reliever David Hernandez struck out pinch-hitter Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier on breaking balls in the dirt to end the inning.
J.J. Putz gave up a hit and a walk with one out in the ninth but got out of it on a double play for his second save.
The Dodgers had six hits, with A.J. Ellis' double in the second inning their only extra-base hit. They left 10.
"We just haven't been able to break through with the big hit. That's one of those things I know we'll do. I'm confident that we are going to score runs," Mattingly said.
NOTES: Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke is to undergo surgery Saturday in which a rod is to be inserted to stabilize his fractured left clavicle, the team announced, also saying he is expected to miss eight weeks. Greinke suffered his injury when San Diego's Carlos Quentin charged the mound after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning Thursday. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly indicated he will use either left-hander Ted Lilly or left-hander Chris Capuano when the Dodgers play San Diego on Tuesday, which would be Greinke's next turn through the rotation. Lilly, who is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, threw a bullpen session Friday. ... D-backs' second baseman Aaron Hill (left hand) was scratched from the lineup after batting practice Friday afternoon. Hill also was held out of Wednesday's game after hit being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning Tuesday. The D-backs were off Thursday. Josh Wilson made his second straight start at second base. ... Dodgers' shortstop Hanley Ramriez had the cast removed from his right thumb Friday and said he hoped to begin hitting next week. He has been swinging with only his left hand during recovery. ... The Dodgers Tolleson from Class AAA Albuquerque to replace Greinke on the 25-man roster. Tolleson had two saves in three scoreless appearances for the Isotopes this season.
