LOS ANGELES (AP) - They were teammates and friends with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They faced each other as opponents for the first time on Friday night.
Clayton Kershaw outpitched Zack Greinke, leading the Dodgers to a 7-1 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Greinke spent three seasons with Kershaw in Los Angeles, going 51-15 with a 2.30 ERA. But he signed a $206.5-million, six-year deal with the Diamondbacks prior to last season.
“We got pretty close, and our kids are around the same age and were close,” Kershaw said. “It was a little weird.”
Kershaw (2-1) allowed four hits, struck out eight and walked one in 8 1/3 innings. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner lost his bid for a shutout when Chris Owings doubled in a run in the ninth.
Greinke (1-1) lasted just five innings. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner was charged with five runs and 10 hits.
“It wasn’t like the best I’ve ever pitched, but their at-bats are super quality and they hit the ball hard a lot,” Greinke said. “Just a good game by them.”
The Dodgers scored two runs against Greinke in the third inning on four consecutive singles, two more in the fourth on a double from Justin Turner and one more in the fifth on two singles and a Yasiel Puig sacrifice fly.
Andrew Toles connected against Randall Delgado in the eighth with a two-run homer. It was the leadoff hitter’s third home run of the season.
Kershaw retired his first 10 batters before Owings whizzed a single up the middle that just missed Kershaw’s head after nicking his arm.
Pinch hitter Chris Iannetta singled in the ninth and scored on Owings’ double. Pedro Baez got the final two outs for the Dodgers.
“I felt good about giving him an opportunity at the complete game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But after they scored, it made sense to take him out.”
In his last 10 games at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw is 9-0 with a 0.47 ERA.
“I hope I can pitch the same way no matter where it is,” Kershaw said.
REST DAY
Arizona third baseman Jake Lamb got the day off. Manager Torey Lovullo said the timing was right against the left-hander Kershaw.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill, who has been on the disabled list with a blister on his left middle finger since April 6, is scheduled to start Sunday against the Diamondbacks. He threw a successful 35-pitch bullpen session Thursday.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Lovullo said Friday marked the first time he had ever actually seen Kershaw pitch.
“I saw a guy who was changing speeds and locations and different mixes to keep you off (balance),” he said. “He’s one of the best in the game and there’s a reason for it. We are a very potent offensive team and he held us down.”
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Left-hander Patrick Corbin (1-1) will attempt to build off his last outing when he threw six scoreless innings against the Cleveland Indians. The Dodgers are 1-4 in games against left-handed starters.
Dodgers: Will try to get a little more out of right-hander Kenta Maeda (1-0), who has gone five innings in each of his two starts. He is 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA lifetime in six starts against the Diamondbacks.
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