Los Angeles Dodgers @ Arizona Diamondbacks (9/9/20) — Final: LAD 6, ARI 4

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Dodgers win! Nine innings isn’t enough!

The Los Angeles Dodgers ride five scoreless frames from the bullpen to another extra-innings victory, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in ten, 6-4.

Taylor Clarke’s second pitch of the game was smashed by Mookie Betts for a leadoff home run. Chris Taylor pulled a base hit and Clarke walked Max Muncy, but the Dodgers only managed the lone score in the opening frame. Clayton Kershaw went to work and pitched a scoreless bottom half, stranding a walk. With 2-outs in the second, Kiké Hernàndez crushed another solo shot, doubling LA’s lead. The Diamondbacks, with two infield singles and a walk, loaded the bases in their half before Kershaw got an out. Carson Kelly grounded into a fielders choice to bring home a run before Jon Jay tied the game with sacrifice-fly. Prior to Kershaw’s inning-ending punch-out, Tim Locastro’s triple into the gap put the D-Backs in front, 3-2. Clarke struck-out Corey Seager and Taylor in a spotless frame, and Kershaw countered with a perfect one of his own in the third. Back-to-back singles by Muncy and AJ Pollock started the fourth, and Will Smith was walked to load the bases. Gavin Lux tied the game on a fielders choice, and Hernàndez gave LA the lead with a sharp single, 4-3. While two had already scored, Clark was able to mitigate the damage against the top of the order. Kershaw, who remained somewhat sharp but had plenty of room for improvement, pitched a harmless frame to end the fourth. Clarke did the same to start the fifth, and Seager’s throwing error with 1-out in the home half prompted an opportunity for Arizona. Nick Ahmed flicked a great 2-strike pitch from Kershaw into right field, and Betts’ error allowed him to pull into 3rd while also tying the game. Kershaw, working a strike-out and a ground-out, was able to strand Ahmed and keep the game tied through five. The defense behind him made 3 errors; however, Kershaw managed to conclude his day with the score even, and while the run count was higher than hoped for, he made some good pitches and has something to build off of headed into his next start, and October. His final line: 5IP, 4R (3ER), 2BB, 3K. Clarke set the Dodgers down in order to begin the sixth, and Adam Kolarek walked a batter but got two outs in the bottom half. It took Brusdar Graterol one pitch at 100mph to retire Carson Kelly, finishing the inning. Betts and Seager both hit the ball extremely hard, but Junior Guerra worked a scoreless frame. After striking-out Jay, Graterol erased a hit-by-pitch and a single with a double-play, keeping the game tied after seven. Guerra stranded runners at the corners in the eighth following a walk to Muncy and a knock from Pollock. Caleb Ferguson was able to navigate a leadoff double, striking-out a pair to put up a zero. LA was unable to take advantage of an error in the top of the ninth, but Jake McGee had book end strike-outs to send the game to extras. Kevin Ginkel’s first pitch of the tenth bounced away from Kelly behind the plate, allowing Seager to easily advance to 3rd. Taylor attacked a 3-0 fastball and lined an base hit up the middle, giving the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Ginkel got Bellinger swinging, but subsequently walked Muncy. He was relieved by Hector Rondon, who’s first pitch was smacked into center by Pollock, extending the lead to 6-4. Rondon intentionally walked Smith to load the bases with 1-out, but Lux and Hernàndez failed to provide further insurance. Blake Trienen was given the bottom of the tenth and earned his first save with the boys in blue, ending the ballgame.

Aside from sloppy defense, the league-leading 32-12 Dodgers squeak out another extra-innings win at Chase Field to clinch the series victory. Tomorrow, they’ll go for the sweep. Dustin May, 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA, gets the ball and looks to strengthen his already very impressive rookie campaign. Former-Giant and, well, Dodger enemy Madison Bumgarner starts against LA for the first time in a D-Backs uniform. Bumgarner, who owns an 0-4 record and ERA of 8.44, has struggled greatly this season. 6:40pm start. Go Dodgers!