Dodgers sweep D-backs, pad NL West lead
LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig stayed hot since his return to the Dodgers with a pair of RBIs to key a 3-1 win over the D-backs on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. The win gave L.A. a sweep over Arizona, five straight wins and a season-high five-game lead over the
LOS ANGELES --
After an RBI double from
"Yasiel … he can do so many great things, but I think the situational at-bat early in the game helped his confidence," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "When you can start him and have [Josh] Reddick and [Andrew] Toles, we've got some depth."
In the sixth inning, Puig took Ray deep for his second home run since getting recalled by the Dodgers from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday.
"It was a curveball," Ray said of the pitch Puig sent yard. "I was trying to backdoor it, and it just didn't break enough and he's a strong hitter. Even though he might have gotten it off the end of the bat, he's strong enough to hit it out."
Ray allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over six innings, but three walks and a wild pitch in the first inning had him pitching from behind all game.
Dodgers rookie
"Didn't have my best stuff, but happy with the way I battled and competed out there," Stewart said. "I just want to help the team win. It's definitely a whirlwind, but definitely glad to be here and be a part of this program."
Seven L.A. relievers combined to throw four scoreless innings, with
"You have the arms available to you," Roberts said. "It's nice to get everybody involved. It was a team effort. I like the matchups for the guys in the bullpen."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rookies getting it done: Stewart was the fourth straight rookie starting pitcher to take the mound for Los Angeles, and he got the win, but it was another rookie who got the most important out. Left-hander
"I was just like, 'I gotta throw strikes,'" Dayton said. "That's what I was trying to do, trust my pitches, my curveball, my fastball. Just trying to throw it over the plate and make something happen." More >
Ray with the K's: Ray probably deserved a better fate in this one after striking out 12, but he did not help his cause in the first. Ray walked three during the inning and also issued a wild pitch that would come back to bite him. After that, Puig's homer was the only hit Ray allowed.
"It's always nice to strike out a lot of guys," Ray said. "But when you don't get the win, it doesn't matter." More >
Maybe next time:
"Got a lot of familiarity with a two-run lead, and he'd hit if things got crazy and there was a ninth inning," Roberts said. "That's why it felt good having Yasmani in there."
Leave 'em loaded: The D-backs had their chances against the Dodgers, but were unable to capitalize, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 men stranded. In the seventh, Weeks pinch-hit for Lamb and worked the count full against Dayton before striking out.
"That's when we use him to hit, in those situations off a left-handed pitcher," Hale said of Weeks. "It's tough to hit for Jake, but ]with the] game on the line we thought that was our chance. We always trust in Rickie; he always gives us good at-bats."
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW
After singling to lead off the fifth,
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: After an off-day on Thursday, the D-backs will open up a 10-game homestand on Friday night against the Giants, with rookie
Dodgers: Two months after a herniated disk landed him on the disabled list,
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Jack Baer is a reporter for MLB.com based in Los Angeles.
Steve Gilbert has covered the D-backs for MLB.com since 2001. Follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB.