Haren, Dodgers Drop Arizona 6-4
LOS ANGELES (AP) Once he put Paul Goldschmidt's first-inning homer behind him, Dan Haren found his bearings and his rhythm. From then on, it was another professional job for the three-time All-Star.
Haren pitched into the seventh inning and hit a tiebreaking three-run double, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
"I was scuffling out of the gate, and it's been the same way for a long time now," Haren said. "I haven't been coming out that crisp out of the bullpen, but I felt really good today and my stuff was there."
Dee Gordon hit a rare home run for the Dodgers, who are 10-3 against the Diamondbacks and 27-30 against everyone else. With six games left between the NL West rivals, this is the earliest the Dodgers have ever clinched a season series with Arizona. They began the year by sweeping a two-game set in Sydney, Australia.
"We thought we'd be doing a lot better against everybody, not just these guys," Arizona catcher Miguel Montero said. "Unfortunately, we're not doing good against anybody. So we've just got to pick it up and be a better team the rest of the way."
Haren (7-4) allowed three runs and eight hits, including a one-out single in the seventh by pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco that chased the former Diamondbacks right-hander. Haren, coming off a 6-2 victory last Monday at Cincinnati, has won back-to-back starts first the first time since beating Arizona by identical 8-6 scores in a span of seven days in April.
Kenley Jansen got three outs for his 19th save despite giving up a leadoff homer in the ninth by Martin Prado - his third hit of the game and 1,000th of his career.
Arizona right-hander Josh Collmenter (4-4) gave up six runs and eight hits through six innings. He is winless in three starts since his three-hit shutout against the Reds on May 29.
Prado gave the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead with an RBI single in the fourth, but the Dodgers responded with four runs in the bottom half. Matt Kemp singled in a run and Haren drove a 1-0 pitch to right-center field, clearing the bases as teammate Clayton Kershaw jumped for joy in the dugout.
"Collmenter did good, except that one inning. But he went out and gave us six innings and just battled and competed," Montero said. "I know that Haren can hit. He can swing the bat. He's not like normal pitchers. I don't know if it was a bad pitch or not."
Haren, a 12-year veteran with 71 hits and a .209 career batting average, had one RBI in 26 at-bats over his 13 previous starts this season.
"I got into a good count and was looking to go the other way, and I got a pitch that I could handle," Haren said. "I used to be a really good hitter, and I'm not as good now as I once was. But I put a good swing on that one and the bullpen made it hold up."
The damage could have been worse for Collmenter had Goldschmidt not robbed Andre Ethier of at least a double three batters earlier with a diving stop toward the first-base line and toss to Collmenter for the out.
Goldschmidt's 14th homer came after a leadoff double by Didi Gregorius. Haren has allowed at least one homer in seven consecutive starts. His longest such streak was 10 starts in 2012 with the Angels.
"I just got burned with a cutter on Gregorius, and I hung the cutter again to Goldschmidt and made a really bad pitch," Haren said. "But after that, I settled in and got some ground balls."
The Dodgers tied it in the fourth on a two-run shot by Gordon, who turned on an 0-1 pitch and drove it into the first row of seats in the right-field corner. It was the second homer this season for the second baseman, and just his fourth in 874 big league at-bats to that point.
NOTES: Arizona LHP Joe Thatcher pitched a scoreless eighth, extending his streak against the Dodgers without allowing an earned run to 36 innings and 21 2-3 innings. The only reliever in history with a longer streak against one team without giving up an earned run was Troy Percival, who had 39 in a row against Minnesota spanning 40 innings. ... The Dodgers placed utilityman Chone Figgins on the 15-day disabled list because of a left quad strain and recalled INF Carlos Triunfel from Triple-A Albuquerque. ... The Dodgers were well-represented at Saturday's memorial service for Bob Welch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Among the mourners were Tommy Lasorda, former teammates Steve Yeager, Dusty Baker, Dave Stewart, Rick Honeycutt and Ken Howell, along with longtime visiting clubhouse manager Jerry Turner. Also on hand was ex-Oakland A's teammate and current Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire. Welch, who died Tuesday at age 57, was the Diamondbacks' pitching coach when they won the World Series in 2001.