Dodgers hit 4 homers in 7-4 victory over Diamondbacks
The Los Angeles Dodgers are used to getting pivotal hits from their dynamic 1-2 punch at the top of the batting order in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
But it was a couple of players lower down in the lineup who delivered Monday night, when Jason Heyward and James Outman hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning of a 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Freeman and Max Muncy also went deep for the Dodgers — the 11th time this season they've hit at least four home runs. They are second in the majors with 204 homers.
"We know we've got work to do and it can't always just be them. I think that's been a big part of their success this year," said Heyward, who is 6 for 18 in his last seven games. "We lean on them but they lean on us, and they let us know they appreciate us when we do well."
Heyward's two-run homer off starter Zac Gallen (14-6) put the Dodgers back on top.
Outman followed by lining a fastball over the short wall in the right-field corner to make it 6-4. It was the ninth time this season the Dodgers hit back-to-back homers.
Outman, fourth among qualified NL rookies in homers (seven) and RBIs (58), also had an RBI single in the seventh.
"After they hit the two home runs I felt the energy in the dugout back up on us and we didn't recover," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
Los Angeles, which leads the NL West by 13 games over Arizona, won for the 22nd time in 26 games this month.
The Diamondbacks are a half-game in front of San Francisco for the final NL wild card.
Gallen is in the running for the NL Cy Young Award but allowed a career-high four homers. The right-hander gave up six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Lovullo said Gallen had some uncharacteristic misses with his fastball in the middle of the strike zone, and the Dodgers took advantage.
"I felt solid going into the game. I didn't put guys away. Lots of walks and guys getting ahead in the count," Gallen said.
The Dodgers struck early with a three-run first on Freeman's solo shot and Muncy's two-run drive to right-center for his 31st homer of the season.
Bobby Miller (8-3) allowed four runs in six innings to pick up his second win in his last three outings.
Caleb Ferguson worked a perfect ninth for his third save.
Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run homer and drove in three for Arizona. He got the Diamondbacks on the board with an RBI double in the first.
After a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. brought home Alek Thomas to get the Diamondbacks within 3-2 in the fourth, Moreno connected on Miller's fastball for a two-run shot to right to put Arizona on top 4-3.
Moreno has gone 13 for 31 in his last eight games with two homers and 10 RBIs.
SNAPPED
Betts went 0 for 4, ending his 15-game hitting streak. Seattle's Julio Rodríguez now has the longest current run in the majors at 13 games.
BATTLING BACK
Miller allowed five straight Diamondbacks to reach base in the fourth inning, including two after Moreno's homer. But the right-hander was able to settle down and retire the last eight hitters he faced.
"Going six was not only helpful for us tonight but for the rest of the series," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He was able to weather that storm in the fourth and give us two more."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: LHP Tommy Henry (left elbow inflammation) remains in the treatment phase and has not started his throwing program. However, Lovullo said Henry is "trending in a good direction." Henry is not eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until the final week of the regular season.
Dodgers: DH J.D. Martinez (groin) will take swings Tuesday for the first time in 10 days. Roberts hopes Martinez will rejoin the team for next week's road trip to Miami and Washington.
ROSTER MOVE
The Dodgers added right-hander Tyson Miller to the roster and optioned right-hander Gavin Stone to the minors. Miller was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (10-5, 2.97 ERA) is fourth in the majors in ERA and seventh in opponents' batting average (.213).
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (11-4, 2.52 ERA) is 5-2 in his last 10 starts against Arizona.
