LOS ANGELES — Alex Wood retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Wednesday night in front of 44,244 at Dodger Stadium.
Wood (1-1) generated 13 groundouts in seven-plus innings, scattered four hits and finished with three walks and three strikeouts. Closer Kenley Jansen retired all five batters he faced, striking out two, to earn his third save.
Offensively, Adrian Gonzalez hit his first home run of the season while Yasiel Puig and Chase Utley added two hits apiece for Los Angeles.
Despite Nick Ahmed’s third home run and Jean Segura’s two hits, the Diamondbacks sustained their third loss in four games.
Arizona put the potential tying runs on base in the top of the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin hit a lead-off single to chase Wood. Ahmed then lined out against right-hander Pedro Baez but Jean Segura followed with a walk.
Jansen replaced Baez, struck out pinch-hitter David Peralta and induced a deep fly out from Paul Goldschmidt to defuse the threat.
The Dodgers broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning by combining two hits, two fielder’s choices and two errors to score two runs. Howie Kendrick began the inning with a single off right-hander Rubby De La Rosa’s glove, then moved to third base when Arizona center Chris Owings bobbled Joc Pederson’s single.
Kendrick came home when Chase Utley hit a ground ball to shortstop Nick Ahmed, who attempted to start a double play. But Ahmed’s throw hit Pederson, who moved to third base on the error. Pederson then scored on Corey Seager’s fielder’s choice.
The Diamondbacks used Ahmed’s third home run to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. On a 1-1 count, Ahmed propelled a 91 mph fastball from left-hander Alex Wood into the first row of the bleachers in left-center field.
But Los Angeles tied the score in the bottom of the fourth on Adrian Gonzalez’s first home run. Gonzalez sent De La Rosa’s 97 mph fastball one-third of the way up the bleachers in right-center field.
Until Gonzalez’s homer, De La Rosa conceded just one hit and one walk through 3 1/3 innings while inducing seven groundouts.
NOTES: Joe Garagiola, the former NBC broadcaster who worked as the Diamondbacks’ part-time color commentator from 1998-2012, was buried Wednesday in St. Louis, his hometown. Garagiola died March 23 at 90. Team president Derrick Hall was among executives representing the Diamondbacks. … Arizona RHP Brad Ziegler set a club record with his 29th consecutive save Tuesday. Ziegler broke J.J. Putz’s standard of 28 set from July 27, 2011 to April 12, 2012. … Los Angeles led the major leagues with 23 doubles and 85 hits entering the game. … Dodgers UT Howie Kendrick made his first start in left field since 2011. Kendrick spent the vast majority of his career at second base. … Dodgers SS Corey Seager came into the game with an 11-game hitting streak dating from Oct. 1. … Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal made his first start of the season after being activated from the disabled list Tuesday.