Stripling strong again, Dodgers rally for win over D-backs

LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Ross Stripling has pitched brilliantly in his first two big league starts - and gotten two no-decisions for it.

The bullpen blew a lead for him in the first one. Los Angeles' offense got him off the hook in the second.

Kike Hernandez hit a two-run double during a five-run seventh inning, and the Dodgers rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night.

Stripling allowed two runs on five hits over six innings, but trailed 2-0 when he exited. Last weekend, the right-hander tossed 7 1/3 hitless innings against the Giants, but had to settle for a no-decision after Chris Hatcher gave up a tying two-run homer in the eighth and Joe Blanton surrendered a walkoff home run in the 10th.

''I think that game gave him the confidence that he could pitch up here,'' catcher A.J. Ellis said of Stripling. ''That's a really good lineup up there in San Francisco, as is the Diamondbacks' lineup. He was the same guy tonight. He had the same poise, the same composure and was very unflappable on the mound.''

Stripling had five strikeouts and a walk. He gave up a hit to the first Diamondbacks batter he faced, Jean Segura, on a single through the box before retiring Socrates Brito on a double-play grounder.

''Their guy got a leadoff single, so I got all that no-hit stuff out of the way early,'' Stripling said with a grin. ''Once you get that first inning under your belt, everything settles down a little bit. I threw strikes and just pounded the zone all night. That's my game. I was able to make some big pitches in some big situations. And I wasn't as nervous as I was last week.''

J.P. Howell (1-0) got the victory with a perfect inning of relief. Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances - one night after posting the first five-out save of his career.

Arizona starter Robbie Ray was charged with two runs, four hits and five walks over 6 1/3 innings while striking out six. He departed with a 2-0 lead before the bullpen squandered it.

Randall Delgado (0-1) allowed an RBI single to Justin Turner and then Hernandez's drive to the wall in left-center. Andrew Chafin then gave up RBI singles to Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez.

''I'll take the blame for this one,'' manager Chip Hale said. ''I should have just gone to (Tyler) Clippard in the seventh because he's been our seventh-inning guy. But Randall's done so well with guys on base the last couple of years, so I felt like he was the right matchup.''

Ray's no-decision left the Diamondbacks' starting rotation 0-6 with a 6.18 ERA through the team's first 10 games. Ray beat the Dodgers twice during a 12-day span last September, allowing no runs and five hits over 11 innings.

YOU AGAIN!

When the Dodgers host San Francisco on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series, Clayton Kershaw will go head-to-head with Madison Bumgarner for the sixth time in his last seven starts against the Giants - and second time in seven days. Neither got a decision last Saturday at AT&T Park, when the Dodgers won 3-2 in 10 innings.

''When those two guys match up with each other, it's a special day and there's definitely a different energy in the ballpark - and a different buzz in the batter's box,'' Ellis said. ''You've got two guys who are as competitive and as talented as any two pitchers we have in our sport. One guy (Kershaw) has been decorated as highly as could possibly be imagined in the regular season, and the other guy (Bumgarner) is arguably the greatest postseason pitcher of all time.''

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (0-2, 9.90 ERA) opposes James Shields in the opener of a three-game series at San Diego - a marquee matchup featuring two of the most high-profile free-agent pitchers to change teams during the last two offseasons. Greinke left the Dodgers to sign a six-year, $175 million contract with Arizona in December. Shields inked a four-year, $75 million deal with the Padres in February 2015 after two seasons with Kansas City.

Dodgers: Kershaw (1-0, 1.20) beat Bumgarner 8-0 with a one-hitter and 13 strikeouts at AT&T Park last Sept. 29, one of five shutouts and six complete games Kershaw has thrown against Giants. When they squared off Saturday, Bumgarner homered off Kershaw for the second time in his career.