The Arizona Diamondbacks finished what they started this weekend, erasing a 3-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium. Arizona has won four straight, sits at 49-47, and is 2.5 games out of the final National League wild-card spot with the trade deadline three weeks away.
The game began badly. With Zac Gallen scratched from the start because of elbow inflammation — the club later placed him on the 15-day injured list, per MLB Trade Rumors — Mitch Bratt made a spot start and gave up three runs in three innings. Shohei Ohtani hit his 22nd home run in the first, and Tommy Edman added a two-run single in the third off Emmet Sheehan‘s counterpart line of 5.1 innings and seven strikeouts.
From there the Dodgers never managed another hit. Six Arizona relievers — Taylor Clarke, Kevin Ginkel, Jonathan Loáisiga, Juan Morillo, Ryan Thompson and Paul Sewald — combined for six hitless innings, with Thompson taking the win and Sewald the save. Los Angeles finished with three hits, none after the third inning.
The offense chipped back in twos. Nolan Arenado doubled home Ildemaro Vargas in the fifth and scored on Ryan Waldschmidt‘s sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Geraldo Perdomo scored when Max Muncy threw away a fielder’s choice, and Vargas — 2-for-4 on the day — singled in Gabriel Moreno. Tim Tawa added insurance in the ninth with his third homer of the season and second of the series. Waldschmidt, recalled Saturday when Pavin Smith was designated for assignment, also stole a base in a quietly complete afternoon — the kind of speed-and-glove margin this roster is built to win on.
The Dodgers, losers of three straight for the first time since May, still lead the division by 11.5 games. Arizona flies home for its final series before the All-Star break, where Corbin Carroll and Eduardo Rodriguez will represent the club Tuesday in Philadelphia.
For fantasy purposes, Waldschmidt is the name to file away: the Smith DFA clears everyday at-bats, and his speed plays immediately in deeper leagues. Tawa has two homers in his last three games and is a viable corner-infield stream while hot, and Sewald’s save confirms the ninth inning remains his.
