Dodgers crush Arizona pitching, coast to win over Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — The last time Caleb Smith started a game against Los Angeles, the Dodgers hung twenty-two runs on the scoreboard in the biggest offensive explosion of the season. On Sunday in Phoenix, the Dodgers didn’t quite reach those lofty heights, but they scored plenty. They chased Smith after a five-run second inning and then never looked back, pummeling the Diamondbacks by a score of 13-0.

Tio Albert provides key hit in five-run 2nd

Like Saturday night, Sunday’s game featured a big second inning for the Dodgers. This time, they were the beneficiaries of Caleb Smith’s erratic control. At one point, Smith threw nine straight balls while walking four Dodgers in the inning. Interspersed in there were a couple of infield hits from AJ Pollock and Justin Turner, and suddenly it was 2-0, bases loaded, and they Dodgers still hadn’t gotten a ball out of the infield.

Albert Pujols would change that real quick. Getting the start on Sunday after his two-hit, two-RBI performance on Saturday, Pujols dug in for a battle against Smith. In a ten-pitch at-bat, Tio Albert fouled off six pitches before he got one he liked. But when Smith tried to sneak a slider by the Machine, he pounced. He ripped the ball down the left field line for a bases-clearing double. And just like that, it was 5-0 Dodgers.

Urias pitches five shut-out innings

Julio Urias, on the other hand, was pitching at his best. He attacked the zone all day, throwing 59 strikes in 83 pitches. Scattering four hits over five innings of work, Urias was never in trouble all day, and had plenty left in the tank when he came out after five innings. But by that time the Dodgers had blown the game open, and didn’t need Urias to push himself any further. The line for the lefty on the afternoon: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 7 K. Phil Bickford, David Price, and newcomer Yerfy Ramirez finished up the final four innings in the shut-out.

Dodgers pile on the runs in the middle innings

With the Dodgers’ solid pitching on Sunday, a five-run lead was plenty, but the Dodgers’ hitters were leaving nothing to chance. They scored eight more runs before this one was over. The hitting stars for the day included AJ Pollock, who went 4-for-5 with two RBI against his old squad.

Justin Turner had a good day at the plate as well, going 2-for-5 with a three-run bomb to right in the seventh that was practically a carbon copy of the pole-hugging shot that he had hit on Saturday night.

And, we have to mention that today marked the return of Mookie Betts, who got two hits on the day, and played a nifty second base. In the top of the ninth, Betts got a garbage time solo home run off position player Bryan Holaday. Still, it was nice to see him get back in the swing of things after his IL stint.

After series win, Dodgers look ahead to the Astros*

Both San Francisco and San Diego won on Sunday as well, so the standing remain unchanged. The Dodgers get an off-day on Monday, but then hold on to your hats. The Houston Astros* come in for a short two-gamer on Tuesday and Wednesday. With no banging garbage cans in sight, the Dodgers will send Walker Buehler and new Dodger Max Scherzer to the mound. It is going to be awesome. Let’s make August the month that we overtake those Giants and show the league who the best team is.