Dodgers Rally Late to Defeat Diamondbacks 11-6 in Series Finale

Freddie Freeman's 21st home run of the season sparked a five-run eighth inning as the Dodgers defeated the Diamondbacks 11-6.Photo byDestiny PazonUnsplash

PHOENIX – The Los Angeles Dodgers (83-55) rallied for five runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Freddie Freeman’s 21st home run of the season, to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks (77-61) 11-6 in the finale of their four-game Labor Day Weekend series on Monday at Chase Field.

Eduardo Rodriguez (2-1, 5.33 ERA), making his fifth start since returning from the 60-day injured list, allowed a 117.2 mph single to Shohei Ohtani in the first inning, setting the tone for a challenging day on the mound.

Rodriguez struggled with his location, leading to flat pitches that the Dodgers exploited. He threw 92 pitches, with 53 strikes, for a 57.6% strike rate.

He relied on his four-seam fastball 33 times (36%), followed by his changeup 22 times (24%), cutter 14 times (15%), sinker 12 times (13%), and slider 11 times (12%).

Despite mixing his pitches, he was tagged for eight hard-hit balls, resulting in three earned runs. His final line: 4.0 innings, 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, and 1 home run allowed.

Game Recap

The Blue Crew broke through in the third inning when Chris Taylor’s double, Mookie Betts’ RBI single, and Freeman’s two-run homer gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

Eugenio Suárez’s 26th double of the season, a liner to left in the third inning, was followed by a five-pitch walk to Luis Guillorme and a sacrifice bunt by Geraldo Perdomo. Corbin Carroll's RBI groundout made it 3-1.

In the fourth inning, Miguel Rojas singled and advanced to third on back-to-back fly outs. On the first tag-up, Guillorme appeared to tag Rojas, but he was ruled safe.

Rojas then tagged up on a routine 314-foot fly ball to center, which Carroll easily caught, but had no chance to throw Rojas out. The Dodgers appeared to be tagging at will on fly balls to the outfield.

Making his second relief appearance, Jordan Montgomery replaced Rodriguez in the fifth inning.

In the top of the seventh, Ohtani singled and stole his 45th and 46th bases of the season, inching closer to the elusive 50-50 club.

Montgomery then intentionally walked Betts, and Freeman’s sacrifice fly made it 4-1. After a Teoscar Hernández single, Slade Cecconi replaced Montgomery.

Will Smith greeted the 24-year-old right-hander with a two-run double, extending the lead to 6-1.

The Diamondbacks responded in the bottom of the seventh when Geraldo Perdomo's sacrifice fly made it 6-2, and Jake McCarthy’s RBI groundout closed the gap to 6-3.

However, that was as close as the Diamondbacks would get.

The Dodgers exploded for five runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Freeman’s 435-foot blast—which gave the Dodgers a commanding 10-3 lead.

Tommy Edman’s RBI single extended the lead to 11-3.

Eugenio Suárez added a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, pulling the D-backs closer at 11-4. In the ninth, Carroll doubled, Randal Grichuk drew a walk, and Josh Bell’s two-run single made it 11-6.