Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Justin Turner homered in a five-run sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 Tuesday to begin the first doubleheader ever played by the NL West rivals.
Will Smith also connected early for the Dodgers, whose four homers matched their season high. Betts also doubled and singled, and Freddie Freeman added a key RBI single in the seventh inning of Los Angeles’ third straight win.
Christian Walker hit an early two-run homer and Alek Thomas added a solo shot in the seventh for the Diamondbacks, who lost their fourth straight in the opener of Dodger Stadium’s first doubleheader since 1999. Ketel Marte drove in two runs, but Arizona lost at Dodger Stadium for the 21st time in 24 games.
The Dodgers fell behind by multiple runs for the seventh consecutive game, but rallied to win again when their sluggers finally got to Tyler Gilbert (0-2) in the sixth.
Ryan Pepiot gave up three runs and two hits over four innings for Los Angeles in his second big league start. Five relievers then combined for five innings of four-hit ball, with Justin Bruihl (1-1) getting the win.
Third base umpire Larry Vanover ejected Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in the ninth inning after Vanover ruled that leadoff hitter Geraldo Perdomo checked his swing on Craig Kimbrel’s two-strike pitch. Replays appeared to show a clear swing by Perdomo, who subsequently drew a walk and eventually scored on Marte’s two-out, infield single.
Kimbrel calmly struck out three batters to finish his seventh save — his second against Arizona in 17 hours.
With a no-doubt shot to left-center in the third, Walker homered in his second straight game at Chavez Ravine, continuing his career-long excellence against the Dodgers.
His 13 homers against LA are his most against any opponent, and his eight homers at Dodger Stadium are his most at any opponent’s ballpark. Walker hit his 11th homer against the Dodgers since 2019 — more than any player in that stretch except Fernando Tatís Jr. (13).
Smith trimmed the Diamondbacks’ lead to 3-1 in the fourth with his first homer since April 25, and Betts tied it in the sixth when he connected for his third homer in four days. The star right fielder is heating up with the weather, getting eight homers and 17 RBIs in the last four weeks after a slow start to the season.
Trea Turner followed with a solo shot to left, his second homer of an impressive season. After Max Muncy walked, Justin Turner added with his third homer in another sign of progress after the veteran’s frigid start to the year.
Arizona trimmed its deficit to 6-5 in the seventh with Thomas’ homer and Marte’s pinch-hit RBI single before Alex Vesia struck out pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow with two runners on.
Betts doubled and scored on Freeman’s single in the seventh.
ONE THAT GOT AWAY
Gilbert came up from Triple-A Reno on Monday and got through five innings of one-run ball before LA’s outburst in the sixth. The spot start was the USC product’s first appearance since April 25 and his first career start against the Dodgers, who traded for Gilbert in 2020 before losing him to Arizona several months later in the Rule 5 draft.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw still has back pain from an inflamed pelvic joint. The three-time Cy Young winner is “unlikely” to throw a bullpen Wednesday as previously scheduled, manager Dave Roberts said. … RHP Tommy Kahnle went on the injured list with right forearm inflammation.
UP NEXT
Arizona’s Merrill Kelly (3-1, 1.71 ERA) faces LA’s Tyler Anderson (3-0, 4.40) in the nightcap.
