After the Dodgers' six home runs on Monday dominated Arizona, the focus going into Tuesday's matchup was on how Edinson Volquez would perform in his first start at Dodger Stadium. He did well enough, but the success of the bullpen and a clutch pinch-hit at-bat from Scott Van Slyke stole the spotlight in the 5-3 extra-inning victory.
Volquez bounced back from his poor performance in Coors Field with six innings of four-hit, three-run ball. He struck out five with just one walk, but hurt himself with two wild pitches and a big home run.
He started the game with three scoreless innings, before giving up a single to Paul Goldschmidt and advancing him to second on a wild pitch. Miguel Montero singled to left field, scoring Goldschmidt for Arizona's first run.
He walked Gerardo Parra and gave up a two-run homer to Didi Gregorius to lead off the fifth inning, putting the Dodgers down 3-2. Volquez retired the next six batters he faced, but was pinch-hit for in the sixth after 80 pitches. Tuesday was his first start of at least six innings, and three runs or less since Aug. 6 when he was with San Diego.
Arizona gifted the Dodgers two runs in the second inning, starting with a walk to Juan Uribe. Trevor Cahill threw a wild pitch to advance him to second, and Mark Ellis singled him to third.
With one out, Volquez dropped a bunt front of home plate that catcher Miguel Montero attempted to turn it into a double play, but threw it into center for an error, scoring Uribe. Yasiel Puig then grounded to third base scoring Ellis for the second run of the inning.
In the fifth, down 3-2, Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez drew consecutive walks. Andre Ethier followed with a double to right field to score Ramirez to tie the game up at three a piece.
Between Ethier's fifth-inning RBI and the 11th inning, the Dodger and Diamondback bullpens were fantastic, combining for nine innings of scoreless relief with one hit allowed each. Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, and Chris Withrow came in for Los Angeles and all did a great job.
The first reliever to make a misstep was Arizona's Josh Collmenter in the 11th inning. Scott Van Slyke came in as a pinch hitter with one out and Mark Ellis on first base, and blasted a home run to the stands near the left-field foul pole for the walk-off 5-3 victory. The home run was his first walk off hit, gave the Dodgers their second win in a row, and lowered their Magic Number to just six games.
Hyun-Jin Ryu makes the start in the series finale on Wednesday, his first since dealing with back issues on Aug. 30. He will go up against Arizona's Patrick Corbin as the Dodgers try for the sweep.
