The Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers played a second consecutive close contest at Chase Field in what may very well be a preview of the National League Division Series. Zack Greinke and Alex Wood lived up to their billing as two of the game’s best pitchers, as each completed at least six innings.
Cody Bellinger provided Wood and the Dodgers with an early lead by turning on an inside fastball for a leadoff home run in the second inning. The homer was Bellinger’s 33rd this season, which leaves him two shy of matching Mike Piazza’s Dodgers rookie record.
Greinke largely settled in from there, however, as it wasn’t until Bellinger’s leadoff double in the seventh inning that he allowed another hit. The Dodgers’ lone baserunners during that stretch were via three walks.
In the mean time, the Diamondbacks took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Paul Goldschmidt hit a towering home run in the fourth inning, and J.D. Martinez later cashed in an A.J. Pollock double.
Diamondbacks manager Tory Lovullo made a mound visit after Yasmani Grandal lined to center for the first out in the seventh inning. Greinke’s pitch count under control and Lovullo elected to trust his ace.
The decision ultimately backfired. Joc Pederson’s two-out double snapped an 0-for-23 skid and tied the game. Yasiel Puig followed with a go-ahead RBI single, complete with an exuberant celebration.
Puig was the final batter Greinke faced, and the Diamondbacks never recovered. The loss was Greinke’s first at Chase Field this season.
For Puig, the impact moment was his second in as many nights, as the dynamic right fielder robbed Martinez of a solo home run with a leaping catch at the fence on Tuesday.
