Mookie Betts hit another home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame an early deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2, for their seventh consecutive win in head-to-head meetings. L.A. also clinched a series victory and have a chance to sweep Arizona on Sunday.
Betts sent Merrill Kelly’s second pitch of the game over the fence in right field for his 32nd career leadoff home run, and 12th such blast with the Dodgers. It additionally gave Betts 14 home runs this season, each of which has come in his last 32 games.
Betts’ 11 home runs are the most in Dodgers franchise history for the month of May since Roy Campanella hit 12 in 1953. His 20 extra-base hits in May are second-most in franchise history, trailing only Jackie Robinson’s 21 in 1949.
The lead Betts provided was short-lived as RBI triples by Jake McCarthy and Geraldo Perdomo put the Diamondbacks up 2-1 in the second inning. Those were the only two runs Tony Gonsolin allowed as he got through six innings. Gonsolin didn’t walk a batter and finished with seven strikeouts.
It marked the first time in Gonsolin’s carer he gone at least six innings in three consecutive starts. His contributions have been all the more imperative as the Dodgers remain without Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney.
Gonsolin’s effort was rewarded as the Dodgers took a decided lead in the fifth inning. Gavin Lux led off with a single and Freddie Freeman walked to set the table for Trea Turner. He extended his hitting streak to 20 games with an RBI single, and Will Smith’s sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.
Justin Bruihl, Alex Vesia and Daniel Hudson each threw a scoreless inning to seal the win. While it was a back-to-back appearance for Hudson, he was needed for the save due to Craig Kimbrel not feeling 100%.
Ketel Marte led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, which Hudson responded to by retiring the next three batters.
Diamondbacks tie pickoff record against Dodgers
Both instances required a challenge, but the Diamondbacks pick off Edwin Ríos and Freeman to tie a franchise record that had last been accomplished in 2014. The Diamondbacks also picked up an out on the bases when Gavin Lux popped off third base.
There didn’t appear to be enough video evidence to overturn the safe call, but the replay center nevertheless determined the tag was still applied for the brief second Lux came off the bag.
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