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Stripling proving he belongs in Dodgers’ rotation

The Sports Xchange

April 15, 2016 at 2:36 am.

April 14, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ross Stripling (68) throws in the first inning against Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

April 14, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ross Stripling (68) throws in the first inning against Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Right-hander Ross Stripling may not have a victory this season, but he sure looks like he belongs in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting rotation.

In his second major league start, Stripling gave up only two runs on five hits in six innings in the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, although he was not involved in the decision. The Dodgers scored all their runs in seventh inning after reliever J. P.Howell pitched the top of the inning.

Stripling, who won the No. 5 spot in the rotation in spring training, struck out five and walked one. He threw 96 pitches. He did not give up a hit in 7 1/3 innings of his first start April 8 against San Francisco, but he was removed with a 2-0 lead and a runner on base a walk to Angel Pagan brought his pitch count to 100. The first batter reliever Chris Hatcher faced hit a two-run homer to tie that game at two.

Stripling underwent Tommy John surgery two years ago, and the Dodgers vowed to exercise patience on his return.

“It was the right call,” Stripling said at the time.

Stripling lost his no-hitter on the fifth pitch of the game Thursday, when Arizona leadoff man Jean Segura singled to center field.

But Arizona did not get another hit until David Peralta, a left-handed hitter, grounded an outside pitch inside the bag at third for a double against an exaggerated infield shift in the fourth inning.

The Diamondbacks’ only hard-hit balls came when they broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Chris Herrmann lined a double to deep right-center field with one out and scored on Nick Ahmed’s line single to right with two outs.

The other only hit the D-backs had was a fisted pop over third base by Socrates Brito in the sixth inning.

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