Dodgers use 8 pitchers to cap sweep of D-backs
LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig homered, and rookie Brock Stewart captured his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to complete a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.
The first-place Dodgers (79-60), winners of five in a row, increased their advantage in the National League West to five games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who lost to the Colorado Rockies.
The Diamondbacks (58-81) lost for the fifth time in seven games.
Stewart (1-2) allowed a run on five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out one on 79 pitches (55 strikes) before a parade of seven relievers followed him to the hill. Kenley Jansen earned his 43rd save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Puig launched his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot with one out in the sixth off Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray (7-13). It was one of only two hits Ray gave up, an RBI double to Corey Seager in the first inning being the other one. Los Angeles managed just four hits overall to seven for Arizona.
Overall, Ray fanned 12, walked four and surrendered three runs in six innings. Ray has posted 20 games with at six strikeouts this season.
The Diamondbacks missed a scoring opportunity when they loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning. After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on southpaw Grant Dayton to face left-handed-hitting Jake Lamb, who has 27 home runs and a team-high 85 RBIs, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale sent Rickie Weeks Jr. to pinch-hit for Lamb. Weeks struck out.
With two outs in the first, Goldschmidt doubled home A.J. Pollock, who walked, for a 1-0 Arizona edge. Goldschmidt popped a flare down the first base line that Dodgers second baseman Charlie Culberson had in his glove, but the ball squirted out as Culberson hit the ground.
In the bottom of the inning, Seager's RBI double scored Howie Kendrick, who reached on a walk, to tie the score. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by Puig brought home Seager to make it 2-1 for Los Angeles.
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Scott Kazmir lasted only two-thirds of an inning after experiencing neck and rib pain in his rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City against Nashville on Wednesday. Kazmir gave up three runs and one hit (a home run) with two walks on 33 pitches (15 strikes). He will return to Los Angeles to be re-evaluated. ... Both clubs are off Thursday before beginning three-game sets Friday. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 1.79 ERA) is scheduled to make his return after missing more than two months with a herniated disk against Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (13-8, 3.03) in Miami. At Arizona, Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (14-8, 2.51) opposes Diamondbacks RHP Braden Shipley (3-3, 4.94).