PHOENIX _ Scott Alexander unleashed a yell the instant A.J. Pollock connected with his sinker, one he immediately wanted back, as he whipped around to watch where Pollock's drive would land at Chase Field on Wednesday night.
The ball sailed and sailed, the Los Angeles Dodgers' quandary intensifying the further it went. It settled 422 feet away, over the 25-foot-tall wall in center field, for a three-run home run in the fifth inning. It was the decisive blow in the Arizona Diamondbacks' 7-2 win and, perhaps come next week, to the Dodgers' season.
Several hundred miles north, the streaking Colorado Rockies had continued their drubbing of the Philadelphia Phillies with a 14-0 victory. The combination left the Dodgers (88-71) a half-game behind the Rockies for first place in the National League West. The Dodgers have three games against the San Francisco Giants remaining in the regular season. The Rockies have four games left _ one against the Phillies on Thursday and three against the Washington Nationals this weekend, all at home.
Ross Stripling's inability to escape the second inning on Wednesday _ he surrendered three runs in 1 2/3 innings _ forced the Dodgers to secure at least 19 outs with their relief corps. After cycling through Pedro Baez and Josh Fields, manager Dave Roberts was resolute in having Alexander procure all three in the fifth.
Pitching for the third consecutive day, Alexander hadn't faced a right-handed batter since Sept. 11. His previous six outings were limited to one batter. Each batter was left-handed. Alexander had essentially become a lefty specialist, something Roberts said was the result of the Dodgers' expanded roster. Before Wednesday's game, the manager said he trusted Alexander to retire right-handed hitters, but, he reasoned, a crowded bullpen afforded him better options in September. But Alexander was tasked the responsibility Wednesday, and the strategy failed.
The Dodgers had their chances to avoid the letdown. Former Dodger Zack Greinke, whose 3.21 ERA ranked 11th in the National League entering Wednesday, retired the game's first two hitters before surrendering three straight two-out hard-hit singles to Max Muncy, Manny Machado and Clay Bellinger. Bellinger's line drive scored Muncy from third base. Yasiel Puig then grounded out, leaving two runners on base and the Dodgers scoring one run in the first inning for the third straight night.
Los Angeles doubled the lead in the second inning. Yasmani Grandal smacked a leadoff double. Stripling then lined a single to center field. Dodgers third-base coach Chris Woodward chose to send home Grandal, whose feet-first slide just beat catcher Jeff Mathis' tag. A two-minute, nine-second video review confirmed the called. The Dodgers had a 2-0 lead, one they could've expanded but Joc Pederson grounded into an inning-ending double play on a 3-0 pitch.
The margin instantly evaporated in the second inning. It began with Socrates Brito launching a changeup over the right-field wall. Pollock then hit a line drive over Pederson's head in left field and off the wall. Pederson misplayed the carom, giving Pollock time to race around for his ninth triple. Nick Ahmed drove him in with a double to the right-center field gap. Greinke's one-out single up the middle later gave Arizona (81-78) the lead and a cycle for the inning.
Stripling didn't last much longer. Ketel Marte followed Greinke with another single, which prompted a mound visit from pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. Eduardo Escobar lined out to right field for the inning's second out, but Stripling walked Gerardo Peralta to load the bases. Paul Goldschmidt loomed. Roberts decided he didn't want Stripling to face Goldschmidt. Roberts pulled him after getting five outs with 47 pitches.
Roberts summoned Baez, one of the few pitchers in baseball with an extensive history of success against Goldschmidt. Baez jogged in for the clash having held the perennial all-star to one hit and three walks in 23 career encounters. Baez had struck him out eight times. He added a ninth by blowing a 96-mph fastball past Goldschmidt. Baez released a fist-pump after dousing the fire.
Los Angeles proceeded to threaten against Greinke again in the third. Justin Turner and Muncy singled. Two batters later, after Machado's fly ball advanced both runners, Bellinger was intentionally walked with first base open to load the bases. Puig got the first chance. He crushed a 100 mph line drive right to the shortstop. Grandal then smacked a 101 mph groundball into the shift. The contact was loud, the disappointment was louder. And it grew loudest at Alexander's expense.
Goldschmidt was the first right-handed batter Alexander encountered in the fifth inning. A runner stood at first base with one out. Goldschmidt clobbered a groundball off Turner at third base for an infield single. Alexander then struck out Brito, bringing up Pollock with runners on first and second. And again Roberts stuck with the lefty. Three pitches into the at-bat, Alexander served Pollock a belt-high sinker over the plate. He knew it was a mistake, and that the Dodgers were in trouble, instantaneously.
