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LOS ANGELES -- The Arizona Diamondbacks kept within striking distance all game, but when the big hit was needed, they came up short again and again. Personalized Bears Jersey . The Diamondbacks had the tying run in scoring position and only one out in both the eighth and ninth innings, but couldnt score and fell 4-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. "We got a couple hits and had some good A-Bs, we just couldnt get anything going with runners in scoring position," Arizona shortstop Chris Owings said. "We were in it the whole game. We just needed that big hit and couldnt get it tonight." The Diamondbacks tagged Dodgers pitching for 13 hits, but it wasnt enough to prevent their third straight loss. Clayton Kershaw held them down for seven innings, allowing eight hits but only one run with seven strikeouts. It was a redemptive outing for the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner after Arizona ripped him for seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings the last time they met. He had won his last three starts since that outing. "You hope to not have any of those clunkers in a season but it happens obviously," he said. "I dont know if Im on a roll or whatever but its been going well." The Diamondbacks rallied as soon as Kershaw left the game. Three of their first four batters in the eighth singled against reliever Brian Wilson, including a one-out RBI single by Tuffy Gosewich that brought them within one. But J.P Howell entered and struck out David Peralta and got Miguel Montero to fly out to end the threat. Justin Turner extended the Dodgers lead in the bottom of the inning with a pinch-hit RBI single to right to score A.J. Ellis from second. The knock extended Turners modest hitting streak to six games and would prove valuable when the Diamondbacks once again staged a rally in the ninth against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. Gerardo Parra got the comeback attempt started with a one-out single, Paul Goldschmidt walked and Aaron Hill followed with a single through the left side to score Parra and cut the deficit to 4-3. Jansen buckled down and escaped further damage though, striking out Martin Prado and inducing Cody Ross to fly out to right to end the game and record his 18th save. The Diamondbacks stranded 12 runners on base in the contest and were just 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. "You look at it and it was a one run game the whole way," Owings said. "We just couldnt get it done." Matt Kemp got the scoring started when he crushed a 2-1 changeup deep into the bleachers in left-centre field in the second to put the Dodgers up 2-0. The blast, measured at 402 feet, was Kemps first home run since May 10. "That was big for us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Weve struggled to score early and been getting behind a lot early here at home. It was good for us to get out to a lead." Aaron Hill cut the deficit in half in the top of the third, smacking a grounder down the third-base line just under the glove of a diving Chone Figgins for an RBI double. After that Kershaw went into lockdown mode. He allowed only four baserunners the rest of the game, none of which passed second base. "I think hes been pretty good except (for one start this year)," Mattingly said. "Hes the same old Clayton, right where we want him to be." The Dodgers win spoiled Diamondbacks rookie Chase Andersons bid to make history. Anderson (5-1) was trying to become just the second National League pitcher since 1914 to win his first six career starts. Instead, he suffered his first career loss after allowing five hits and two runs in five innings, with four walks and four strikeouts. NOTES: The Dodgers reinstated C A.J. Ellis from the DL before the game and optioned C Tim Federowicz to Triple-A Albuquerque. .The Diamondbacks recalled OF Tony Campana from Triple-A Reno and placed OF Ender Inciarte on the 7-day concussion DL. . A video tribute commemorating the career of former Dodgers RHP Bob Welch was shown before the game. Welch, who pitched for Los Angeles from 1978-1987, passed away Tuesday at the age of 57. Customized Carolina Panthers Jerseys . Gonzalez participated in his final game on Sunday, Atlantas 21-20 defeat at the hands of the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers, having posted four catches for 46 yards. Personalized 49ers Jersey . They did take one chance on a free agent-to-be however, and it didnt pay off. Rory Kohlert, selected by the Redblacks in the expansion draft from Winnipeg, has signed as a free agent with the Blue Bombers.MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United confounded grim pre-game predictions by drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday, with Bastian Schweinsteiger equalizing for the holders before being sent off. Floundering in the English Premier League, United has delivered better performances in Europe this season and stunned Bayern by taking the lead against the run of play through Nemanja Vidics header in the 58th minute. Bayern had dominated possession but struggled to create a clear-cut chance before Schweinsteiger arrowed a half-volley high into the net in the 67th to give the German side a slight advantage ahead of the second leg in Munich next week. "We score away, so its good," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. "Im happy with the result." Schweinsteiger blotted his performance by picking up a second yellow card in the 90th minute for a foul on Wayne Rooney and will miss the return match along with fellow midfielder Javi Martinez, who will also be suspended for an accumulation of bookings. Guardiola warned that talk of Uniteds demise was premature -- and the man who turned Barcelona into the best team in the world from 2008-12 has proved to be a good judge of football over the past few years. The English champions are languishing in seventh place in the Premier League amid a disastrous first year under new manager David Moyes, but they have an envious European pedigree and didnt buckle under constant pressure from Bayern. Defending stoutly -- with Vidic and right back Phil Jones particularly impressive -- United had 174 passes in the game compared to Bayerns 701 but actually created the better of the chances. Danny Welbeck will rue the moment he was sent clean through in the 40th, capitalizing on Jerome Boatengs defensive mistake, but fluffed a chip into the goalkeepers arms rather than going for a truer strike. Bayern played the prettier football, as expected, but United goalkeeper David de Gea barely had a shot to save before or after Schweinsteigers sweetly struck effort from Mario Mandzukics nod-down. "Tonights performance was more than youd hope for," Moyes said. "Hopefully tonight shows we will go there and go toe to toe with them. "Our best football has been in this competition and we will need to show our best footballl next week. Custom Indianapolis Colts Jersey. " The nights other quarterfinal first leg also finished 1-1, with Barcelona coming from a goal down to draw at home to Atletico Madrid. With Bayern having become Europes new powerhouse over the past two years and United without its main striker in Robin van Persie, many predicted the home-and-away series would be a blow-out. In the end, Bayern was somewhat fortunate to be leaving Manchester with its record of scoring in every match this season intact. Uniteds ambition was limited -- it had to be, given it hardly saw the ball -- but the teams desire and work rate couldnt be faulted. Moyes fielded a patched-up defence with Patrice Evra suspended and Rafael da Silva a late withdrawal but he got his tactics largely spot on, although United has probably never been dominated in possession at Old Trafford as much as it was in the first half. It was Bayerns attack vs. Uniteds defence, and Uniteds defence will feel it won the battle. "It is not easy when the opponent sets up so deep and closes down space," Munich winger Arjen Robben said. "After they took the lead, we should be happy to take a 1-1 home." There were times when the home fans fell deathly silent, perhaps mesmerized, as Bayerns bubbly midfield splayed the ball around in long periods of possession. But Moyes side kept its shape well, with Vidic delivering his best performance of an otherwise shaky season. He popped up at the other end to score Uniteds goal, too, the Serbian given the freedom of the penalty box to flick a header into the bottom corner from Rooneys left-wing corner. The lead didnt last long, though, as Rafinha sped by Robben on the overlap and crossed deep for substitute Mario Mandzukic, who headed the ball down for Schweinsteiger to sweep a half-volley into the top corner. The midfielder had already been booked for a foul on Michael Carrick when he brought down Rooney with seconds left of normal time. He protested, wagging his finger at Rooney and claiming the striker dived, but Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo had already brandished the yellow card. "I think coming into the tie most people had Bayern had the favourites," Moyes said, "and rightly so -- they are the European champions. But this club is used to big European nights and tonight they showed it." Cheap Jerseys ' ' ' |
