Tony Gonsolin, Freddie Freeman help Dodgers | College News

PHOENIX — At the tip of a grueling 10-game trek around the nation, and in search of their first profitable journey this season, the Dodgers obtained precisely what they needed Sunday afternoon.

A robust begin from right-hander Tony Gonsolin. An enormous efficiency from the highest of their lineup. And a thorough 8-1 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks, splitting a four-game collection at Chase Field this weekend to return home from this week-and-a-half-long journey with a 6-4 file that retains them in first place in the National League West.

“Really good team win,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated.

In a battle of two former All-Stars on Sunday, Gonsolin outdueled Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen, tossing 5 scoreless innings to earn his second win in three begins since returning from Tommy John surgical procedure — and a back damage that compelled him to miss the first month of the season — this yr.

“His delivery looks really good,” Roberts stated of Gonsolin, who has a 2.80 ERA in his first three begins this season while trying a lot nearer to the 2022 All-Star model of himself than he did while pitching through his elbow damage in 2023.

“I think that what he’s doing right now is signs of 2022,” Roberts added. “You have the experience of a guy that is seasoned [and] really knows what he’s capable of.”

Gonsolin confronted little stress Sunday, scattering three hits and two walks while hanging out 4. Only twice did the Diamondbacks (21-20) get a runner in scoring place against him, stranding two runners aboard in the first and third. After that, Gonsolin completed his 84-pitch outing — one shortened given his latest return from damage, and because he was the first Dodgers pitcher this yr to make a begin on 4 days’ relaxation — by retiring six of his last seven batters.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Gonsolin stated, noting that “the shapes and the velos and everything around my stuff have really come around” after spending a lot of the final two years rehabbing from his Tommy John process.

Gallen, on the opposite hand, had bother with the Dodgers (27-14) and the three superstars at the highest of the their lineup.

In the first inning, Mookie Betts singled and scored all the best way from first on a Freddie Freeman double in the hole. In the fifth, Shohei Ohtani and Betts led with consecutive singles, setting up Freeman for a sacrifice fly and Will Smith for an RBI single through a drawn-in infield.

The next time the highest of the order got here up, with a runner on third and two out in the sixth, Arizona supervisor Torey Lovullo went to his bullpen, summoning left-hander Joe Mantiply to face Ohtani. It didn’t work, with Ohtani roping an RBI single to proper to make it 4-0. When Mantiply returned to the mound in the seventh, it was Freeman’s flip to tee off, hitting his ninth home run of the yr into the Chase Field pool for a 5-0 lead.

In a three-run ninth, Betts tacked on one other home run before Freeman accomplished a four-for-four day with a single, later scoring on Smith’s RBI double.

“It was a long road trip. A lot of late flights, late ‘get-ins.’ And to have a winning road trip, that was good,” Freeman stated. “Especially after getting shut out yesterday, to come out and score some runs.”

In all, the Dodgers’ Big 3 went 9 for 14 with six runs scored and 5 runs pushed in. Freeman’s 4 hits raised his batting average to .376 and his OPS to 1.171 — both second in the majors, among hitters with 100 at-bats, behind only Aaron Judge.

“Just seeing strikes and hitting them,” Freeman stated of his sizzling begin, which has come even with the precise ankle he had surgical procedure on this offseason still not 100%. “I wish there was more I could give you. I do the same routine every day, try to hit strikes. And they’re just falling right now.”

Check-ins for Snell, Glasnow

When Blake Snell accompanied the Dodgers on this 10-game journey, the expectation was that he would start a throwing development after lacking the final month with shoulder irritation.

But after having the beginning of his catch play pushed back once final week because he was feeling under the climate, Snell didn’t play catch as anticipated Sunday, either, because of continued discomfort in his left throwing shoulder.

“We felt that it was best to let him see our team doc before we make any other moves,” Roberts stated.

That check-in with head staff doctor Dr. Neal ElAttrache will come Monday, in what had been a pre-scheduled analysis. Tyler Glasnow, who is also on the injured checklist with shoulder irritation but did start enjoying catch again this week back in Los Angeles, may have a check-in Monday as effectively.

Since first getting damage, Snell tried to restart his throwing program once final month, but stopped because of continued shoulder ache. He had one pain-relieving injection after that, but has evidently not improved enough to start working his method back to motion yet.

Asked if his concern with Snell’s damage has risen amid the pitcher’s continued shoulder ache, Roberts was coy.

“I guess I’ll know more [after tomorrow],” Roberts stated. “I can answer that question more once he sees our team docs.”