Rookie ends it in the ninth
Ryan Waldschmidt had never won a game with one swing. He did it Friday night at Chase Field. The Arizona rookie turned on a pitch from Edwin Diaz and sent it 411 feet to left-center, a two-run shot that gave the Diamondbacks a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It was his second career home run and his first walk-off. The timing worked for Arizona, which opened the series needing something against one of the National League’s heavyweights.
Diaz had come on to protect a tie. Max Kepler drew a leadoff walk to start the ninth. Pinch runner Jorge Barrosa stole second with one out, putting the winning run in scoring position. Waldschmidt did the rest.
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Dodgers keep sliding
Los Angeles has not looked like itself. The defeat was a seventh straight loss, a season high for a team built to win deep into October. The bullpen has taken much of the blame during the run, and Friday added another late failure to the pile.
Arizona did more than wait for the ninth. Nolan Arenado homered earlier in the game, proof the veteran still has pop against quality pitching. Geraldo Perdomo added a double and a triple and drove in a run, working from the middle of the order.
What it means
The win keeps Arizona in the chase as the summer stretch tightens. For the Dodgers, questions are building around a group that expected to cruise. Diaz, signed to close games like this one, instead watched a rookie round the bases.
The series continues this weekend, with Los Angeles trying to stop the slide before it turns into something heavier.
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