Dodgers 13 Diamondbacks 7: Taylor’s Career Night

Chris Taylor shines as the Dodgers start off the second half with a boom.

Justin Turner started off the second-half in a big way, sending a massive home run to dead centerfield in the top of the first inning to give the Dodgers a quick 1-0 lead. After two quick innings from starter Bud Norris, the Dodgers added another run in the third started by a Jake Lamb error allowing Norris to reach. After a Corey Seager double, Turner reached on Lamb’s second error of the inning, allowing Norris to score from third.

The Diamondbacks would strike back in the bottom half of the inning, started by a two-run Michael Bourn triple. Paul Goldschmidt would then give the D-Backs the lead with a RBI groundout. Down 3-2 at the start of the fourth, the Dodgers blew things open. After back-to-back singles by Scott Van Slyke and Yasmani Grandal, Chris Taylor started off his huge night with a two-run triple that would regain the lead for the Dodgers. Singles later in the inning by Yasiel Puig and Norris would open up the lead even further for the Dodgers, who now would lead 7-3.

After a quick fifth inning which included one run a piece by each side, the score was 8-4 headed to the sixth. The top of the sixth was explosive, to say the least, started with Justin Turner being hit by a pitch that resulted in a warning to both benches. After loading the bases with no outs, Van Slyke and Grandal both struck out to lead them loaded for Taylor. On a 2-0 fastball that was served up right down the middle by Edwin Escobar, Taylor unloaded a grand slam that still has not landed yet. The grand slam was also Taylor’s first major league home run.

Pedro Baez would come on to replace Norris in the sixth, effectively ending his night. Norris had a below average night, to say the least, giving up four earned runs on eight hits in only five innings of work, while also adding five strikeouts. Tonight was Norris’ first start since April 27th where he gave up more than three earned runs.

The D-Backs would try to make things interesting in the seventh with a pair of home runs from Jean Segura and Goldschmidt to make the game 12-7, but that would be about as close as they would get. The Dodgers would add a late run in the ninth by a Puig single, making it 13-7, which would be the final score of the game.

The Dodgers were led offensively by 2B Chris Taylor, who went 3-5 with an HR and 6 RBI. Taylor finished a single short of the cycle, which is a hard pill to swallow. Taylor came up to the plate in the eighth looking for that single, which he attempted to get with a drag bunt. Taylor placed the bunt in the wrong spot, as Josh Collmenter was able to make a play on it to get him out. Nonetheless, Taylor had a game for the ages by becoming the first Dodger 2B to have 6 RBI in a game since Jackie Robinson did so in 1949. Yasiel Puig also had a good game at the plate, going 3-6 with 3 RBI. It was good to see Puig start off the second half right.

With tonight’s win and a Giants loss, the Dodgers are now just 5.5 back for the division lead. Although, the Dodgers do now have a 3 game lead for the first spot in the Wild Card game. The Dodgers are back in play tomorrow evening for game two of the series, as Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 2.70) will take on Archie Bradley (3-5, 4.64). First pitch is scheduled for 5:10.