Walker Buehler gets first career shutout, Dodgers shut out D-backs 4-0

Some pitchers chase wins, saves or strikeouts.

Walker Buehler’s stat of choice is innings pitched.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

So it was a big moment for the 27-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers ace as he walked off the mound Monday night after pitching a superb nine innings, concluding his first career shutout in a 4-0 victory. on the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Guys I grew up watching did that,” Buehler said. “That was what it meant to be good.”

Buehler (2-1) pitched three-hit ball and Will Smith hit 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 didn’t walk, 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 to fly out to center field for the final out. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Buehler told him he wasn’t coming out of the game when he walked off the field after the eighth inning.

It was another difficult pitching decision for Roberts, who faced some criticism earlier this year when he took out Clayton Kershaw after seven perfect innings against Minnesota. Roberts has said he doesn’t regret Kershaw’s decision and certainly doesn’t regret leaving Buehler to finish his shutout.

“I trusted him,” Roberts said. “I believed him. He has an extra day before his next start, so it all lined up, it made sense. He deserved it, he earned it and it was fun to watch tonight.”

The Dodgers wasted little time taking a 2-0 lead, which was good enough 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 him within 3-0. Smith’s 425-foot throw to the left-center seats in the eighth made it 4-0. Smith and Freeman 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 in three starts before Monday.

Many opposing pitchers have found their groove against the D-backs’ lineup, which was ranked 29th out of 30 teams with a .189 batting average going into Monday’s games. Daulton Varsho, David Peralta and Walker had all three team hits and all were singles.

“Buehler had some really good stuff,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought we got out of the zone a couple of times, giving him a chance to look even better and more efficient. On those critical counts, we have to be a little more stubborn.”

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (1-1) took the loss despite pitching fairly well and allowed three runs in six innings. He allowed seven hits and two walks and struck out four.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

SHOUT STREAM

Buehler went to high school in Kentucky and watched many Cincinnati Reds games. Bronson Arroyo was the Reds’ ace for much of those years, throwing at least 200 innings in eight of nine seasons between 2005 and 2013.

Arroyo’s durability started Buehler’s fascination with innings pitched. Buehler reached the 200-inning mark for the first time last season when he pitched 207 1/3 innings.

“It’s a big deal to me,” Buehler said.

LIST MOVEMENTS

Dodgers: RHP Andre Jackson was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. INF/OF Zach McKinstry was optioned to Triple-A.

Diamondbacks: OF Jordan Luplow (strained right oblique) joined the team from the 10-day IL and LHP Tyler Gilbert was promoted from Triple-A Reno. LHP Oliver Pérez was designated for assignment and OF Jake McCarty was optioned to Triple-A. Luplow made his season debut in the eighth.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

The Diamondbacks send RHP Zach Davies (1-1, 5.02 ERA) to the mound to face Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (1-0, 0.69) on Tuesday.