Thompson, Kershaw spark Dodgers to 10-1 win over D-backs
Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker, right, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, watches along with catcher Austin Barnes, second from left, and home plate umpire John Tumpane during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
LOS ANGELES — Trayce Thompson hit three home runs and Clayton Kershaw got the best of an old personal rival, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers roll to a 10-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
Thompson hit a grand slam in his first at-bat of the season and had a career-high eight RBIs for the Dodgers, who defeated Arizona for the 16th time in the last 22 meetings. J.D. Martinez added his first home run in a Dodgers uniform.
In the 12th matchup between left-handers Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner, the Los Angeles star came out on top with six strong innings. The previous 11 matchups came when Bumgarner was a member of the San Francisco Giants. Each pitchers' team has won six times in the meetings.
Kershaw (1-0) gave up one run on four hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in an efficient 76 pitches over his first start of 2023. Bumgarner (0-1) gave up five runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts in four innings (85 pitches).
Thompson’s grand slam came in a five-run first inning for the Dodgers before he added a three-run shot in the fifth inning.
Christian Walker hit a home run for the Diamondbacks, the fifth of his career against Kershaw.
The Dodgers wasted little time jumping on Bumgarner. Mookie Betts opened the bottom of the first with a double, Freddie Freeman singled and Max Muncy was hit by a slow curveball to load the bases. Chris Taylor’s sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a Miguel Vargas walk loading the bases again before Thompson’s slam.
Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker, left, heads to first as he hits a solo home run whileLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, center, reacts and catcher Austin Barnes watches during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Walker’s home run in the second inning pulled the Diamondbacks to 5-1 and gave him nine hits in his first 29 career at-bats against Kershaw.
Bumgarner gave way to right-hander Kevin Ginkel in the fifth inning before Thompson cashed in a double from Martinez and another walk to Vargas with his second-career multi-homer game for an 8-1 lead.
Martinez’s home run came in the seventh inning for Los Angeles, while Thompson's third of the night came in the eighth. All three Thompson home runs went to left-center field and traveled 409, 418 and 440 feet, in that order.
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Trayce Thompson rounds third after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
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