Pinch hitter Mookie Betts delivered a game-ending RBI single as the Los Angeles Dodgers scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull out a 3-2 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.
The Dodgers had just two hits through eight innings before pulling off their second late comeback against the Diamondbacks over the last four games.
The Dodgers (104-46) moved two wins away from tying the club record for a single season while lowering their magic number for clinching the No. 1 seed in the National League playoffs to three.
After a rare day out of the starting lineup, Betts came up in place of Joey Gallo and ripped a 3-2 single with two outs against Arizona left-hander Joe Mantiply.
Trailing 2-1, the Dodgers loaded the bases in the ninth inning on a leadoff double from Cody Bellinger, a one-out intentional walk to Freddie Freeman and an infield single from Will Smith. Mantiply replaced Reyes Moronta (1-1) and gave up the game-tying infield single to Max Muncy.
Mantiply then struck out Justin Turner before Betts delivered.
Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel (6-6) gave up a go-ahead solo home run to Arizona’s Christian Walker with one out in the ninth inning before ending up with the win.
The dramatic ninth inning overshadowed what had been a pitchers’ duel.
Arizona’s Zac Gallen set career highs for innings pitched (eight) and strikeouts (13). He gave up two hits and one run with no walks.
Los Angeles’ Julio Urias surrendered one run on three hits over 5 1/3 innings with one walk and five strikeouts. Urias remained at 17 wins, likely ending his chance at a second-consecutive 20-win season.
Urias managed to lower his NL-leading ERA a tick to 2.25, while his ERA since the All-Star break is now 1.34. Gallen dropped his overall ERA to 2.46 and now has a 1.15 mark since the break.
The Diamondbacks (70-81) broke through against Urias on a third-inning sacrifice fly from Stone Garrett to score Sergio Alcantara for a 1-0 lead. The Dodgers’ first baserunner didn’t come until there were two outs in the fourth inning, when Will Smith tripled and scored on a double by Muncy to tie the game.
Walker’s home run was his 36th.
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner went 0-for-4 as his hitting streak ended at 18 games.
–Field Level Media
