The Los Angeles Dodgers squandered an early lead but later put together a four-run inning to earn an 8-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that snapped their modest two-game losing streak.
Coming off a three-RBI night, Chris Taylor again got the Dodgers going by driving in a run with a base hit in the second inning. Max Muncy followed with an RBI single of his own to double the Dodgers’ lead, and they scored a third run in the inning on a double steal.
The Diamondbacks pulled even in the fifth inning and it remained locked at 3-3 until the seventh. L.A. began their rally with a Muncy one-out walk that prompted Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo to remove Merrill Kelly at just 88 pitches.
Lovullo’s decision immediately backfired as Justin Turner greeted Stefan Crichton with a go-ahead, two-run homer.
Two-out rally. pic.twitter.com/ZGVhzq94IN
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 1, 2021
JTie broken. pic.twitter.com/MKcjkOXHs5
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 1, 2021
Crichton faced more trouble as singles by Will Smith and AJ Pollock followed with singles. A pitching change didn’t stop the Dodgers’ momentum as Cody Bellinger’s second infield single of the night loaded the bases.
Albert Pujols delivered a pinch-hit RBI single and the Diamondbacks failing to turn a double play resulted in the Dodgers scoring another run on Billy McKinney’s grounder that was only a force out. Pujols connected on a second run-scoring base hit in the ninth inning.
Turner and Pujols tied for the game high with two RBI.
Dodgers bullpen game pans out
Mitch White made his first career start and was efficient through three scoreless innings before running into trouble in the fourth. He surrendered a two-run homer to Kole Calhoun and Garrett Cleavinger later allowed a game-tying solo shot but the Dodgers bullpen otherwise fared well.
Joe Kelly, Blake Treinen and Edwin Uceta each threw a scoreless inning after the Dodgers took a decided lead in the seventh.
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