Corbin Burnes returned to the mound with authority, throwing seven dominant innings to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. The performance came just 24 hours after the two clubs combined for 25 runs in a slugfest, but the tone of this matchup was defined by elite pitching.
Arizona entered the game as a slight underdog, with most sportsbooks listing the Dodgers at around -125 on the moneyline, while the Diamondbacks were priced near +105. The projected run total was 8.5, but that figure never came close to being threatened in a game that featured just one scoring outburst per team.
Burnes, who had not pitched since April 30 due to shoulder inflammation, showed no signs of rust after receiving a cortisone injection and missing a start. The 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner allowed five hits and two walks while striking out five over seven shutout innings. His command and pace kept the Dodgers’ lineup off balance throughout the evening, preventing Los Angeles from mounting any sustained offense.
Dodgers starter Dustin May matched Burnes in the early going, delivering an efficient and composed performance. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits and one walk over six and two-thirds innings, striking out five. May kept the Diamondbacks contained for most of the night but received no run support from his offense, which managed only five singles and failed to produce any extra-base hits.
Arizona scored in the fourth inning when Corbin Carroll led off with a triple and later crossed the plate on Ketel Marte’s groundout. Burnes would need that run, but the Diamondbacks added to their lead in the sixth. Eugenio Suarez connected on a towering solo home run to center field, his 12th of the season. The 455-foot shot gave Arizona a 2-0 advantage and further demonstrated Suarez’s continued power surge, as he leads the team in home runs and remains on pace for a career-best total.
Pavin Smith provided additional insurance in the ninth inning with an RBI double that scored Arizona’s third run. Smith finished the game with three hits and was crucial in the Diamondbacks’ offensive execution. Ryne Nelson entered in relief to start the eighth and confidently handled the final two innings. Nelson faced six batters and retired them all in order, recording his first save of the season. His most impressive stretch came in the eighth when he consecutively retired Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
Ohtani managed a single and a walk but could not spark the Dodgers’ offense. The team failed to score for the first time since early April, ending a streak of consistent run production.
Arizona improved its position in the competitive National League West with the win, taking two of the first three games in the series. The Diamondbacks will look to claim the series victory in the finale on Sunday. Los Angeles is expected to start right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who enters with a 1-0 record and a 4.09 ERA. Arizona will counter with right-hander Zac Gallen, who holds a 3-4 record and a 4.37 ERA. The final game offers both teams an opportunity to close the weekend with momentum in a tightly contested division.
