Buehler gets first career shutout, Dodgers blank Diamondbacks 4-0
PHOENIX — Some pitchers chase wins, saves or strikeouts.
Walker Buehler’s statistic of choice is innings pitched.
So it was a big moment for the 27-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers ace when he walked off the mound Monday night after throwing nine superb innings, wrapping up his first career shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“The guys I grew up watching did that,” Buehler said. “That was what it meant to be good.”
Buehler (2-1) tossed a three-hitter and Will Smith launched a solo homer for the Dodgers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games.
Buehler cruised most of the way, retiring 15 straight batters during a brilliant stretch from the fourth inning to the ninth. He walked none, hit one batter with a pitch and struck out 10, leaving the field to a standing ovation from the sizable contingent of Dodgers fans at Chase Field.
The right-hander threw 108 pitches, getting Christian Walker on a fly ball to center field for the final out. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Buehler told him he wasn’t coming out of the game as he left the field following the eighth inning.
It was another tough pitching decision for Roberts, who took some heat earlier this year when he pulled Clayton Kershaw after seven perfect innings against Minnesota. Roberts has said he doesn’t regret the Kershaw decision and he certainly doesn’t regret leaving Buehler in to finish his shutout.
“I trusted him,” Roberts said. “I believed him. He has an extra day before his next start, so everything lined up, made sense. He deserved it, he earned it and it was fun to watch him tonight.”
The Dodgers wasted little time taking a 2-0 advantage, which was plenty for Buehler. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts walked to start the first, Freddie Freeman doubled and Trea Turner brought them both home with another double.
Max Muncy’s two-out double in the fifth scored Betts, pushing it to 3-0. Smith’s 425foot shot into the left-center seats in the eighth made it 4-0. Smith and Freeman both finished with two hits.
Buehler’s dominance against Arizona came after a relatively slow start to the season by his lofty standards. The two-time All-Star had a 4.02 ERA through three starts before Monday.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (1-1) took the loss despite pitching fairly well, giving up three runs over six innings. He permitted seven hits and two walks while striking out four.