Apparently Diamondbacks believe it is better to give than receive, as Dodgers roll to 14-1 victory
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The gifts came from everywhere, off hands and gloves, from an umpire’s mistake and a center fielder’s failed attempt at a Willie Mays catch.
Gifts so numerous that even when the Dodgers did a Keystone Kops routine on the bases, it did not matter one iota.
The Diamondbacks were in such a giving mood Saturday, the Dodgers scored six runs in an absolutely ridiculous second inning and not one was earned.
The Dodgers weren’t about to re-gift, either, rolling to an 14-1 victory over the Diamondbacks that showed newbie manager Kirk Gibson how the other half lives.
With Clayton Kershaw throwing blanks, it was all way too much for the deflated Diamondbacks, who committed five errors in the first three innings. They finished with a team-record six errors, three by ex-Dodger Tony Abreu.
The game turned in the second, beginning with an innocent single by James Loney.
Which was about the end of anything routine. Casey Blake followed with a bouncer to first baseman Rusty Ryal, who made a nice stop and then dropped the ball and threw it away for an error.
Xavier Paul, just called up when Manny Ramirez was placed on the disabled list, then walked to load the bases on three balls when home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman lost track of the count.
Struggling Russell Martin struck out, but Blake DeWitt singled to score one. Kershaw then hit a bouncer to Abreu that possibly could have been a double play, except he dropped it for an error.
Hot-hitting Rafael Furcal -- who has multiple hits in seven consecutive games -- sent a drive to deep center. Chris Young ran straight back and tried to make a Mays-esque over-the-head catch, but dropped it.
Two more scored, not that the fun was done. Kershaw, who had rounded second, apparently thought Young made the catch and starting running back to first. Where he was promptly passed on the bases by the sprinting Furcal, who was immediately out.
Matt Kemp then homered to score two more, and it was 6-0 Dodgers.
The Dodgers added one more unearned run when the Diamondbacks committed errors on three consecutive plays. Those Diamondbacks, generous to a fault.
The Dodgers finally added a couple of earned runs off Rodrigo Lopez in the fourth when both Furcal and Andre Ethier hit solo home runs.
They scored two more in the fifth on a DeWitt single and a throwing error by Abreu.
And on it went. They scored three more in the sixth, two on a Paul single and one on a Martin sacrifice fly. Yes, things were so crazy, even Martin drove in a run.
Meanwhile, Kershaw (8-4) kept turning the Diamondbacks away. He threw 5 2/3 shut-out innings, allowing four hits and two walks, while striking out eight. He did, however, throw 105 pitches.
Travis Schlichting, just called up Saturday to replace Ramon Troncoso, threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Jonathan Broxton lost the shutout in the ninth when he gave up a solo home run to Mark Reynolds, the first homer he’s allowed this season.
-- Steve Dilbeck