Saturday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks gave both teams another look at a starting pitcher they recently faced. Shelby Miller started against the Dodgers on Sept. 6, and Brock Stewart started Sept. 7.
Yasmany Tomas’ defense, or lack thereof, again proved to be an issue for the Diamondbacks. Corey Seager’s drive to right field resulted in a one-out triple in the first inning, much to Miller’s chagrin.
Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead before the inning came to a close. That didn’t hold up long, as Jean Segura led off the bottom half of the first with a solo home run.
Seager committed an error that allowed Jake Lamb to reach with two outs, and followed that by committing another error. Though, Seager was left off the hook as a safe call was overturned.
Chase Utley doubled with two outs in the third, and Seager extended the inning by drawing a walk. However, nothing came of it as Turner grounded into a force out. Miller found himself in some trouble after walking Adrian Gonzalez to start the fourth.
Josh Reddick singled to put two on with nobody out, then the Diamondbacks couldn’t get out of their own way. A passed ball and poor throw from Welington Castillo allowed Gonzalez to score from second base.
Joc Pederson then crushed a two-run homer that reached the walkway above the pool in right-center field, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 4-1. Stewart collected back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth before allowing a solo home run to Castillo.
Tomas and Brandon Drury extended the inning with a base hit and walk, respectively. Mitch Haniger also singled, but Andrew Toles threw a strike to home plate to nail Tomas for the third out.
Stewart worked around a one-out single in the fifth and bookended the inning with strikeouts. Reddick and Pederson connected on back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with one out in the sixth.
But the Diamondbacks turned to left-handed reliever Steve Hathaway and he retired pinch-hitter Kiké Hernandez and Carlos Ruiz. Adam Liberatore’s first appearance since Sept. 9 was brief as he was removed after striking out Lamb to start the bottom of the sixth.
Louis Coleman then came on and retired the two batters faced, ending the inning with a strikeout. Pinch-hitter Rob Segedin led off the seventh with a walk and scored on Utley’s double. The double was Utley’s second of the game and fourth (seven hits total) of the series to that point.
Reddick doubled to lead off the eighth and pinch-hitter Andre Ethier was intentionally walked to put two on. Both runners were stranded as Ruiz flied out and pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick grounded out.
Seager’s one-out single in the ninth was his 181st hit this season, setting a Los Angeles franchise record for a rookie. Seager then went first to third on Gonzalez’s two-out base hit, and scored on a wild pitch.
Despite the Dodgers’ 6-2 lead and the fact that he’s nursing a sore/stiff right wrist, Kenley Jansen entered in the ninth for a second consecutive game. All he did to ease the concern was strike out the side.
The Dodgers’ win trimmed their magic number to clinch National League West to 11.
