Arizona Ends Six Game Skid, Defeat Dodgers In 12 Innings 4-2

WP: Joe Thatcher (1-0) LP: Chris Perez (0-1) S: Trevor Cahill (1)

Despite the first blown save from closer Addison Reed, the D-backs prevailed to secure their sixth win of the season with a score of 4-2 against Los Angeles. The win late Friday night ended Arizona's six game losing streak and gave the D-backs their first win against the Dodgers this season, after failing to tally one in the first five meetings.

The first five innings of the game consisted of nearly zero offense from both teams, as starters Wade Miley and Zack Greinke had themselves a old fashioned pitchers duel. The first run of the game didn't come until the sixth inning when Miguel Montero took Greinke deep to right center field, putting Arizona up 1-0. The Dodgers would strike for a run in the bottom of the seventh after Scott Van Slyke hit a solo home run off Wade Miley to end his night. Both starters had eerily similar fantastic outings, both pitching six innings, allowing just one run, and both having eight strikeouts. The only difference was that Miley had allowed five walks while Greinke only walked two.

The D-backs would score another run in the ninth inning, in the most unorthodox of ways.  Dodgers reliever Chris Withrow attempted to pitch his second inning of work in the ninth when disaster struck. Withrow walked Montero to lead off the inning, allowing D-backs manager Kirk Gibson to insert speedster Tony Campana into the ballgame as a pinch runner. The move would prove to be brilliant, as Campana stole second on the very first movement he saw from Withrow. Cody Ross would give himself up and groundout to second allowing Campana to advance to third. Withrow would fall behind Martin Prado 2-0, so the Dodgers decided to put him on intentionally, simple right? Not for Withrow.

On the first attempted intentional ball, Withrow would air-mail the ball over the head of Dodger catcher Tim Federowicz that would allow Tony Campana to scamper home, giving the D-backs a 2-1 lead. D-backs fans, and the D-backs themselves thought the game was in the bag with Addison Reed coming in to close the door for the fourth time in as many chances. Juan Uribe squandered all such thoughts, as he yanked a hanging slider off the left field foul pole to tie the game at two.

The tenth and eleventh innings passed, disappointing all Dodgers fans as post game fireworks were canceled due to the late time of night. The Diamondbacks would also go on to give Dodgers fans another thing to be sad about. With Chris Perez pitching for the Dodgers in the twelfth, AJ Pollock singled, followed with pinch hitter Cliff Pennington getting hit by a pitch. Then with Pollock on second and Pennington on first, second basemen Aaron Hill would come through in the clutch by hitting a two run single, that would prove to be the decisive blow in the game. Now bullpen pitcher, Trevor Cahill would get the save in the bottom half of the inning recording a 1-2-3 inning.

The D-backs and Dodgers play in the spotlight Saturday evening on FOX, with a pitching matchup of Mike Bolsinger for the D-backs and Dan Haren for Los Angeles. The game will be the first big league start for the D-backs' Bolsinger, after he made his MLB debut in a three inning relief appearance on Monday against the Mets. As for Haren, this will be his second consecutive start against Arizona, looking to try and get another win against the D-backs.