LOS ANGELES – The Diamondbacks entered their final series of the first half desperately trying to keep pace with a crowded National League Wild Card field.
They’re leaving it with the confidence that they can beat anybody after sweeping baseball’s marquee powerhouse.
Ildemaro Vargas hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth, Geraldo Perdomo led a defensive showcase, and the Diamondbacks rallied to beat the Dodgers, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium to complete an emphatic three-game sweep of the two-time defending champions.
It’s the Diamondbacks’ first sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles since Sept. 4-6, 2017. With it, they go into the All-Star break with a 49-47 record and sit just 2 1/2 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot.
The Diamondbacks trailed 3-0 after three innings before rallying. Vargas and Nolan Arenado hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to get the Diamondbacks on the board and Ryan Waldschmidt added a sacrifice fly to bring them within a run.
In the sixth, Perdomo led with a walk, worked his way around the bases, and scored the tying run when he broke for home on a ground ball to third base and Max Muncy’s throw to the plate hit him in the back. One batter later, Vargas drilled the go-ahead RBI single off the wall in right to give the D-backs their first lead.
They kept it with a sensational defensive sequence in the bottom of the inning.
Perdomo opened the inning by charging in and making an exceptional barehanded play and throw on the run to rob Mookie Betts of an infield single. Corbin Carroll followed with a running catch in shallow right field and held on after colliding hard with Perdomo for the second out. Arenado finished the defensive showcase in style, diving full extension to his right to snag a hard liner from Kyle Tucker and end the inning.