Chris Taylor continued his hot hitting and Justin Turner provided a clutch home run late to help the Los Angeles Dodgers snap their losing streak with an 8-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On the verge of stranding four baserunners through the first two innings, Chris Taylor delivered a two-out RBI single to break the scoreless tie. Max Muncy followed with a base hit of his own to double the Dodgers’ lead, and they scored a third run in the inning on a double steal.
Mitch White got a bullpen game off to a terrific start as he was efficient through three scoreless innings in his first career start. But a one-out walk in the fourth wound up leading to trouble as Kole Calhoun then ambushed the next pitch for a two-run home run.
Garrett Cleavinger took over for White with two outs in the fourth and ended the inning, but he then surrendered a leadoff home run to Nick Ahmed in the fifth.
The game remained tied until Turner’s two-run homer off Stefan Crichton in the seventh inning. That further magnified Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo’s decision to remove Merrill Kelly at just 88 pitches.
Singles by Will Smith, AJ Pollock and Cody Bellinger loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Albert Pujols, who drove in a run with a line drive to left field. Ahmed’s inability to cleanly field a grounder prevented an inning-ending double play from being completed and allowed the Dodgers to score a run on the force out.
Pujols added an RBI single in the ninth inning for insurance.
The four-run inning held up on the backs of Joe Kelly, Blake Treinen and Edwin Uceta each working one frame.
Dodgers keep pace with Giants
One night after failing to capitalize on a chance to pick up a full game in the National League West standings, the Dodgers kept pace with the San Francisco Giants to remain three back.
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