Saunders, Diamondbacks fall to Dodgers 5-3

PHOENIX – Joe Saunders felt like he had been nibbled at after the Arizona Diamondbacks' 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

"I need some Band-Aids," said Saunders, who was chased after 5 1-3 innings. "I made some good pitches and they hit balls that weren't hit very hard. They put the ball in perfect spots."

One such hit came in the second inning. After giving up a one-out double down the right-field line to Juan Rivera, Saunders (8-9) was a pitch away from escaping trouble when Rod Barajas blooped a single just over the extended glove of shortstop Willie Bloomquist to make it 1-0.

"When you execute your pitch and they find a hole, whether it's a broken-bat 10-foot hit or a broken-bat 90-foot hit, you just have to turn the page as quick as you can," Saunders said. "You did your job but the guy is still on base."

Saunders couldn't escape the sixth inning, when the Dodgers scored twice for a 4-2 lead. Andre Ethier singled and was safe when Bloomquist mishandled a grounder into the hole by Juan Rivera. Aaron Miles hit an RBI single that chased Saunders, and Barajas singled home a run off Brad Ziegler.

The Dodgers added another run off Ziegler in the seventh on an RBI groundout by Rivera.

Justin Upton hit an RBI double with two outs in the eighth off Matt Guerrier to cut the Dodgers' lead to 5-3 before the right-hander retired Chris Young on a drive to the warning track in left.

"We are not clicking right now," Diamondbacks bench coach Alan Trammell said. "It's tough to always come back but give the guys credit. We had the tying run at the plate in the last inning."

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was under the weather and watched the game from the clubhouse.

Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) pitched five solid innings in his major league debut, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out seven and walked two for the Dodgers, who have won four of five.

Eovaldi also notched his first career hit in his first trip to the plate.

"We were hoping from our standpoint that he would be a little more nervous but it didn't seem to be an issue," Trammell said. "He has a good arm. We knew that. But you just hope that first go-around he'd get a little bit nervous and then put a couple of guys on base."

Scott Elbert pitched the ninth for his second save.

Eovaldi retired the first five batters he faced before loading the bases in the bottom the second on a hit and a pair of walks. Saunders took advantage, singling to right to give Arizona a 2-1 lead.

The Dodgers tied the game in the third when Eovaldi singled and scored on a groundout by Ethier.

NOTES: Eovaldi is the sixth Dodgers player to make his major league debut this season. The 221-year-old also is one of six Los Angeles players 25 or younger. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero failed to reach base for the first time in 16 games. ... Dodgers SS Dee Gordon left the game in the bottom of the third after landing awkwardly on his right shoulder while tagging out Kelly Johnson in a rundown. He remained on all fours for a few minutes before walking off the field without assistance and was replaced by Jamey Carroll. Dodgers medical staff ruled out a shoulder separation and said Gordon is day-to-day. "They told me I should have (thrown to Eovaldi covering first) but I play hard, man," Gordon said. "I felt like I could catch him."