Dodgers stay hot in zero-strikeout win over Diamondbacks
April 30 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Dodgers hitters logged 34 at-bats and not a single strikeout to earn an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks for their seventh win in eight games.
Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages went 1 for 4 with three RBIs in the triumph Monday at Chase Field in Phoenix. Star designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and outfielders Teoscar and Enrique Hernandez logged two hits apiece.
Catcher Will Smith homered for the Dodgers.
"I just think you've got to give the players all the credit as far as winning pitches and fighting to move the ball forward," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters, when asked about the zero strikeout effort.
First baseman Christian Walker gave the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. Enrique Hernandez answered with a game-tying RBI double in the top of the second. Pages plated Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy with an RBI sacrifice fly in the next at-bat and the Dodgers never trailed again.
Teoscar Hernandez smacked a two-run double in the top of the fifth. Pages plated Hernandez and Smith an another RBI double later in the inning for a 6-1 Dodgers lead.
Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez hit an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the inning. The Diamondbacks scored for a third time off a wild pitch from Dodgers starter James Paxton.
Right fielder Randal Grichuk then brought in the Diamondbacks' final run with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.
Smith smacked his 407-foot solo homer in the top of the sixth. Ohtani brought in the game's final run with a line-drive single to left in the top of the eighth.
Paxton allowed six hits and four runs over five innings to improve to 3-0 this season. Diamondbacks starter Tommy Henry allowed five hits and two runs over four innings to drop to 1-2.
Second baseman Ketel Marte was the only Diamondbacks player with multiple hits. He went 2 for 5 in the loss.
The Dodgers (19-12), who are tied for the most wins in MLB, sit in first place in the National League West, four games ahead of the second-place San Francisco Giants (14-15).
They will battle the fourth-place Diamondbacks (13-17) at 9:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Phoenix. The series finale will be at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday at Chase Field.
