D-backs hold off Dodgers for 5th straight win

PHOENIX -- After a five-run first inning, it seemed the D-backs might cruise to an easy victory, but the Dodgers made them sweat until closer Fernando Rodney recorded the final out with the tying run on second to preserve a 7-6 win Tuesday night at Chase Field.
Dodgers lefty Rich Hill was coming off a start that saw him take a no-hitter into the 10th inning, but there would be no-hit drama this time, as the D-backs touched Hill for five runs on six hits in the first.
"I was terrible," said Hill, who allowed six runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings and fell to 9-6. "Everybody did what we were supposed to do, and I was terrible."
• D-backs' bats bring Hill back to Earth

The win was the fifth in a row for the D-backs, who maintained their two-game lead over the Rockies for the top National League Wild Card spot. The Dodgers, meanwhile, matched their season-high losing streak of three games but still lead the NL West by 18 games.
"We're very happy with how we're playing," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "We're swinging the bats very, very well. We're getting some timely hits, and the pitching has been stepping up. It's a nice combination for all of us to watch."
The Dodgers fought back against D-backs starter Zack Godley, with Yasiel Puig hitting a Statcast™-projected 443-foot solo homer in the second and Chris Taylor hitting a two-run shot in a three-run third, but the D-backs got some needed insurance on Paul Goldschmidt's homer in the fourth and David Peralta's RBI triple in the fifth.
• Rare skid testing Dodgers' mettle

Godley (6-7) allowed four runs over six innings and rode all the support to a win, but it was a bit dicey in the ninth as Rodney allowed a double and an RBI infield hit, threw two wild pitches and hit a batter.
"I know there was a little bit of anxiety in the ninth inning," Lovullo said, "but you know what, that's what it's all about. You've got to be able to ramp up, stay in the moment and collect your thoughts enough to execute and get the job done. And we did, and I was very happy with that."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Got him early:A.J. Pollock's two-run homer with one out in the first inning kick-started the D-backs, and things went downhill fast for the Dodgers. Goldschmidt lined a 104.9 mph drive off Hill's hip for a single, J.D. Martinez doubled and Brandon Drury scored them both with a double of his own. Jake Lamb capped the inning with an RBI single to center.
"I feel like we had a really good game plan against Rich Hill, and we scored several runs early," Lovullo said. "We impacted the ball very well, and A.J. Pollock with the two-run home run got us playing downhill baseball."

Playing the percentages: The Dodgers had a chance to jump back into the game in the seventh. With two outs and a runner on second and Curtis Granderson coming up, Lovullo took out right-hander David Hernandez in favor of lefty Jorge De La Rosa. Granderson was 1-for-12 in his career against De La Rosa, and those numbers got even worse when he struck out, his third of four strikeouts in the game.

QUOTABLE
"I think they play everybody tough. … I wouldn't be surprised if we see them in the playoffs." -- Taylor, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Tuesday

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Arizona starting pitchers are 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA over the last eight games.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Dodgers challenged a foul-ball call on Chase Utley in the ninth inning. The call was confirmed after a brief review, but Utley reached base anyway with a leadoff double off Rodney. Utley took third on a wild pitch and scored to make it 7-6 on Taylor's one-out infield single.

WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers:Hyun Jin Ryu enters Wednesday night's 6:40 p.m. PT start having gone 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in nine starts since June 13. This will be his first start against the D-backs since Sept. 6, 2014.
D-backs:Robbie Ray gets the call for the D-backs on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. MST, making his second start since being struck in the head by a line drive on July 28. Ray allowed just one run over five hits and struck out nine Mets Thursday in his return from the disabled list.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.