Dodgers-Diamondbacks rivalry heats up

The three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks took on some added interest heading into the second game on Saturday evening.

Both benches emptied after the Diamondbacks secured the final out in a 3-2, 11-inning victory on Friday night that ended Los Angeles' five-game winning streak.

"Unnecessary," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the incident.

Arizona reliever Archie Bradley, who has had issues with the Dodgers and their fans in the past, came on to protect the one-run lead in 11th.

He walked Joc Pederson to start the inning, ending a streak of 22 consecutive outs by Los Angeles, then threw an inside fastball to A.J. Pollock.

The ball hit something and popped in the air above home plate. Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly caught the ball on the way down, and the plate umpire called Pollock out, saying the ball had gone off the knob of the bat.

Pollock insisted the ball hit his wrist, but the umpires stayed with the call after a replay review.

Roberts said Bradley motioned for Pollock to get off the field after Pollock had hung around first base waiting for the review.

"You've got a guy trying to get off the field, trying to feel his wrist, make sure things are all in place, and then you've got a pitcher shooing our guy off," Roberts said. "A.J. does nothing but play the game the right way, so if there's a player that takes more time than a pitcher thinks, A.J.'s not that guy. Our guys took offense to that."

After Bradley fanned Will Smith for the final out, he began gesturing and yelling toward the Los Angeles dugout, causing players from both sides to come together on the diamond. No punches were thrown, but the tone was set for the final two games of the series.

"Our guys were there for one another throughout the entire game," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "What you saw at the very end, that's what we do here."

The rivalry between the clubs has been building ever since the Dodgers clinched the National League West at Chase Field in Phoenix six years ago and celebrated by jumping in the stadium's trademark swimming pool beyond the right field fence.

As for more recent history, the Diamondbacks had lost eight of their past nine at Dodger Stadium before the Friday win.

They'll try to make it two in a row when they send left-hander Alex Young to the mound for the seventh start of his rookie season.

Young (4-1, 2.60 ERA) is coming off the first loss of his major league career, though it was a quality start.

He gave up two runs and three hits in six innings against the visiting Washington Nationals on Aug. 2, providing the only hit for Arizona against five pitchers in a 3-0 loss.

As well as the Dodgers have been playing, right-hander Kenta Maeda (7-8, 4.37 ERA) should be desperate for a win when he takes the mound on Saturday.

Maeda is 0-6 in his past 11 starts with a 5.37 ERA. The stretch began with a no-decision against the Diamondbacks on June 5, when he allowed one run and two hits in five innings of a 3-2 loss in Phoenix.

Maeda lasted just 2 2/3 innings on Sunday against the San Diego Padres, allowing five runs and five hits, striking out four and walking one.

Roberts was asked if Maeda's spot in the rotation was in jeopardy after his latest outing, but the manager insisted it wasn't.

--Field Level Media