Freddie Freeman added three more hits and, with a heads-up defensive play, started the game-winning double play in the ninth.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a roll right now, and none more so than the team’s All-Star first baseman.
Mookie Betts had two hits and two RBI, Julio Uras pitched six scoreless innings, and the Dodgers beat the fading Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Despite nearly blowing a 4-0 lead, the Dodgers have won seven of their last eight games, including three straight.
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The D-backs have now dropped seven straight games and are 57-57 on the season. Arizona hasn’t been at.500 since April 7, when they were 4-4.
The D-backs nearly pulled off a comeback after trailing 5-2 entering the ninth inning. Geraldo Perdomo led off the game with a one-out walk and later scored on Alek Thomas’ triple down the right-field line. Ketel Marte followed with an RBI single, cutting the lead to 5-4.
The next batter was All-Star rookie Corbin Carroll, who hit a chopper down the first-base line to Freeman, who whirled and fired to Amed Rosario for the second out. The last out was recorded when Rosario struck Freeman with the comeback throw. The Dodgers were aided by the fact that the quick Carroll did not dash to first because he assumed the ball was foul.
“I knew it was close to being fair or foul,” said Freeman. “But I have to play until he calls it a foul.” I caught it, threw it, let him decide, and was delighted it was fair.”
“There’s no excuse for it,” Carroll said. You must sprint out of the gate. To put it another way, I thought the first bounce was foul. That’s what I observed.”
Evan Phillips recorded his 15th save in 17 attempts.
Early on, the Dodgers appeared to be on their way to a victory. They increased their advantage to 4-0 in the fifth inning thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Betts and Freeman, as well as a sacrifice fly by Max Muncy.
Betts’ hitting streak now stands at 15 games. He ended up with two hits and two RBI.
Freeman is 20 of 38 (.526) in his previous nine games, raising his season batting average to.343. He also leads the MLB with 41 doubles.
“I’ve been seeing the ball really well,” said Freeman. “I just have to keep this streak going for as long as I can.”
Arizona began its comeback in the eighth inning, trimming the lead to 4-2 on one-out RBI singles by Tommy Pham and Christian Walker. To halt the threat, Brusdar Graterol struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and retired Jace Peterson on a flyout.
Betts delivered a much-needed insurance run in the ninth inning with an RBI single.
The Diamondbacks are 7-23 in their last 30 games, a long-term slump that has severely harmed the team’s playoff chances. Arizona was first in the NL West on July 8, but has since dropped to third, 10 games behind the surging Dodgers.
One bright spot for the D-backs is that they are still only two games out of the NL wild-card race.
Over the last two weeks, Arizona’s offense has basically vanished. Since July 26, the D-backs haven’t scored more than four runs in a game.
They couldn’t get much going against Uras (9-6), who allowed four hits, struck out five, and walked one. Since July 25, the left-hander has tossed 14 scoreless innings.
“Just feeling like myself, feeling my presence on the mound,” Urias explained via translation. “I want to be able to use all three pitches, navigate through the lineup, and make adjustments during the game.”
Brandon Pfaadt (0-6) of Arizona is still waiting for his first major league win. The right-hander went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. In ten starts, he has a 7.11 ERA.
WEB GEM
David Peralta of the Los Angeles Dodgers appeared to deprive former teammate Carson Kelly of a two-run homer in the fifth inning, diving beyond the left-field wall to snare the ball before it fell in the first row of the stands.
Peralta spent his first 8 1/2 seasons with the D-backs before being traded to the Rays at the trade deadline last season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
J.D. Martinez of the Los Angeles Dodgers was removed from the lineup due to left groin and hamstring pain.
UP NEXT
The two-game series concludes on Wednesday. The D-backs will send out RHP Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.21 ERA), while the Dodgers will send out RHP Bobby Miller (6-2, 4.26 ERA).