Dodgers 6 Diamondbacks 2: 20 Games Over .500

The Dodgers took game three against the Diamondbacks to bring the magic number to 11.

The Dodgers won their 84th game of the season. Pitching, offense and defense all performed well, and the Diamondbacks gave the Dodgers a couple gifts for insurance runs.

Dodgers Starter

Brock Stewart was given a lead to work with in the first, but he allowed a leadoff homer to Jean Segura to lead off the game.

Certainly an inauspicious start, but after working around a Corey Seager error(almost two, but review saved them) in the first, Brock Brock cruised to the fourth. He retired nine straight, but got snakebitten on a deep homer by Welington Castillo.

Stewart gave up a sharp one-out single in the fifth, but limited the damage. He struck out Paul Goldschmidt on a filthy slider to end the inning and end his outing.

Can’t really expect Stewart to go deep into games. He made 83 pitches in five innings and struggled keeping the ball in the ballpark, but otherwise pitched well. He kept the homers solo and kept the Dodgers in the game for five innings, which is all you can really ask out of a spot starter.

Dodger Offense

The Dodgers got off to a hot start against Shelby Miller. Seager drilled a one-out triple and scored on a sac fly.

Like the DBacks, they didn’t strike again until the fourth. Adrian Gonzalez led off with a walk and Josh Reddick singled him to second. Gonzo scored and Reddick moved to third on a passed ball/throwing error combo by Castillo. Joc Pederson followed that up with an absolute rocket that cleared the celebration pool.

That was all the Dodgers got off Miller, who was pulled after allowing two hits and getting an out in the sixth. The Diamondbacks brought in a lefty, which obviously means the Dodgers stranded the runners on base.

A miracle happened in the seventh, when the Dodgers scored against a lefty. Rob Segedin drew a leadoff walk, and Chase Utley doubled him home. A little concerning that the heart of the Dodger order left him at second, but baby steps.

Seager got a single in the ninth. Without context, not very important. However, it was Seager’s 181st hit, which is a new Dodger rookie record. The record-setting single came around to score after Adrian Gonzalez singled Seager to third. A wild pitch allowed Seager to score and give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead.

Dodgers Bullpen

Adam Liberatore was the first Dodger reliever in, and he was used for one batter. He got Jake Lamb out and was pulled for Louis Coleman, who finished off the sixth.

Pedro Baez got the seventh and allowed a two-out pinch-hit single. He struck out two, including getting Jean Segura to end the frame.

Joe Blanton got the eighth and had a much easier time than he did last night. He got saved on an incredible catch by Justin Turner at third. He followed that up by striking out Goldschmidt and Lamb.

With a four run lead, Kenley Jansen got the ninth for some reason. Jansen left last night’s game with a brace on his wrist and had the brace on this morning. He made 22 pitches last night, and with the Giants on the horizon this guarantees he won’t be available tomorrow. Probably would have been better to not use him today, but if he’s healthy, it’s fine. Jansen looked fine and struck out the side, but if tomorrow’s game is close and he’s not available, this was dumb.

Other Stuff

The Cardinals remain useless and are losing to the Giants, so the Dodgers won’t expand their lead if that result holds up. The magic number is down to 11 with the win, and the earliest the Dodgers can clinch is Friday against the Rockies.

The Dodgers play their last game against Arizona tomorrow. Jose De Leon goes for the Dodgers, Robbie Ray for the Diamondbacks. He’s a lefty, so temper expectations.