Dodgers out-rally D-backs, cut NL West lead
LOS ANGELES -- The D-backs punched and the Dodgers punched right back in a seventh inning that saw 12 runs scored and left Los Angeles with an 8-7 lead on its way to a 9-7 win Friday night.The Dodgers entered the one-hour, 13-minute inning with Kenta Maeda cruising, having allowed
LOS ANGELES -- The D-backs punched and the Dodgers punched right back in a seventh inning that saw 12 runs scored and left Los Angeles with an 8-7 lead on its way to a 9-7 win Friday night.
The Dodgers entered the one-hour, 13-minute inning with
Arizona's 7-3 lead didn't last long. Five straight Dodgers reached base to lead off the bottom of the frame, including home runs from
"Every win's a big one, but that's probably the best of the year," Roberts said. "It just wasn't [the bullpen's] night. That's going to happen, but for our offense to respond like that, give up seven runs and score five runs and never quit, earlier in the year that probably wouldn't happen."
The drama came after strong showings from both Maeda and Arizona starter
"It was unfortunate," D-backs manager Chip Hale said of the seventh-inning meltdown. "I'm frustrated. I know the guys are frustrated. All we can do is keep plugging away."
With the win and the Giants' 4-1 loss to the Nationals in San Francisco, the Dodgers are now just one game back in the NL West. They have made up 5 1/2 games on San Francisco since the All-Star break.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Pederson's power: Pederson got his first extra-base hit since his return from the DL last week with an RBI double in the second inning. Entering the game, all six of his post-return hits had been singles. Before the DL stint, 29 of his 54 hits had gone for extra bases. Pederson wasn't done though, as his two-run homer in the seventh cut the D-backs' lead to two.
"We came back and put an eight-spot on them. [
Bullpen struggles: After Thursday afternoon's loss to the Brewers, Hale said his bullpen had to find a way to stop the bleeding when called upon. They certainly didn't do that Friday as three relievers combined to allow five runs in the seventh.
"We're going to come out tomorrow and fight," said reliever
Another first for Toles: The Dodgers got an extra run in the fourth inning when Toles took advantage of a pair of Godley wild pitches to get his first career RBI. After
In a pinch: The D-backs had hoped to leave Godley in for the bottom of the seventh, but when his turn in the batting order came around with the bases loaded in the top half of the inning Hale had to pinch-hit for him. Pinch-hitter
"He was probably pitching the best in the sixth inning," Hale said of Godley. "We were ready to let him go back out, but of course we had to hit for him."
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs:
Dodgers:
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.
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.