The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second straight one-run game, but lost prized free-agent signing Zack Greinke indefinitely to a fractured left collarbone during a bench-clearing brawl on Thursday. They’ll attempt to win their third straight on the road with another one of their aces in Clayton Kershaw on Friday when they begin a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Greinke was injured in a 3-2 win at San Diego after the Padres’ Carlos Quentin charged the mound following a hit-by-pitch.
While the Dodgers expect to be without one of their key players for a while, Arizona will likely welcome back Aaron Hill. The Diamondbacks’ second baseman missed Wednesday’s 10-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates after his left hand was hit by a pitch on Tuesday. The victory ended a two-game slide following a 5-1 start and marked the fourth time Arizona has scored at least eight runs over the last seven games.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, various local channels (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (1-0, 3.00)
Kershaw has been sharp through two starts, allowing a total of six hits against San Francisco and Pittsburgh. The 2011 National League Cy Young Award winner struck out nine and permitted two hits over seven innings in Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Pirates. While Kershaw has managed to go 7-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 career starts against the Diamondbacks, Chase Field is one of the four venues where he has a losing record (3-4).
Corbin collected a win in his first start of the season in Saturday’s 9-2 victory at Milwaukee, allowing two runs and eight hits over six innings. Acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in 2010 as part of the Dan Haren trade, the 23-year-old left-hander is winless over his last four outings after going 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA in three appearances – including two starts – against the Dodgers last season. Corbin has enjoyed pitching at home, going 3-3 with a 2.92 ERA in nine career appearances, including seven starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The last opponent to score more than one run against Kershaw was Arizona on Aug. 30 – a span of seven starts.
2. The Diamondbacks are hitting .193 against left-handers this season.
3. In Kershaw’s two starts, the Dodgers have scored all five of their runs in two innings.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1