Ricky Nolasco has made a major impression in his first game on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 30-year-old Latino-American baseball right-hander pitched seven strong innings in his debut with the Dodgers to lead his brand new team to a 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Nolasco, acquired by the Dodgers from the Miami Marlins this weekend in exchange for a trio of pitching prospects, allowed four hits, one earned run and struck out five Tuesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.
He was credited with the win, improving his record this season to 6-8.
The Dodgers’ hitters, meanwhile, gave their new starter plenty of run support, with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez leading the way by driving in three runs to increase his RBI tally for the season to 57.
Nolasco also helped his own cause by singling in the game’s first run in the top of the second inning.
Rookie sensation Yasiel Puig had a hit and two walks, while shortstop Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-4 as his career-best 19-game hitting streak was snapped.
Diamondbacks third baseman Martin Prado singled in second baseman Aaron Hill in the bottom of the 7th inning for Arizona’s only run.
Relievers J.P. Howell and Ronald Belisario pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, for the Dodgers.
The win improved the Dodgers’ record for the season to 44-45, which leaves them just 2.5 games behind the NL West division-leading Diamondbacks with the second half of the season just starting.