Diamondbacks 6 - 3 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

D-Backs down Dodgers

Aug 1, 2011 - 12:20 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Gerardo Parra hit a pair of home runs to help the Arizona Diamondbacks take a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a three-game set.

Ryan Roberts hit a solo home run and scored twice while Kelly Johnson had a pair of doubles and a run scored for the Diamondbacks, who have won six of their last eight games.

Joe Saunders (8-8) scattered eight hits over 7 2/3 innings and allowed two runs while striking out three to pick up the win, his second in as many starts.

"I kept the ball down and was able to mix speeds," said Saunders. "I was able to keep it inside and get some ground ball outs. I'm just trying to be consistent. Our game plan is to win series."

Trailing the Giants by two games for first place in the NL West, Arizona heads to San Francisco for a three-game series starting on Monday.

Dioner Navarro hit a solo home run while Tony Gwynn Jr. and Juan Rivera each drove in a run for the Dodgers, who have dropped three of four. Rubby De La Rosa (4-5) was handed the loss for giving up three runs on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts over just four innings of work.

"I didn't have my breaking ball tonight," said De La Rosa. "By the time I found my rhythm I had already thrown 90 pitches."

Both teams made moves before Sunday's trade deadline. Los Angeles acquired catcher Tim Federowicz and pitchers Juan Rodriguez and Stephen Fife in a three-team trade with the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox that saw outfielder Trayvon Robinson go to Seattle. Arizona got pitcher Brad Ziegler from the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Jordan Norberto and first baseman Brandon Allen.

The Diamondbacks struck twice in the second inning on back-to-back solo homers from Roberts and Parra.

Arizona made it a 3-0 game in the fourth as Parra reached base on a fielder's choice and made it to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a Collin Cowgill single.

Navarro got the Dodgers on the board in the bottom of the fourth with his fourth home run of the year, a solo shot to left.

Arizona, though, got the run back in the fifth as Kelly Johnson doubled to start the frame, moved to second on a fly out and crossed the plate on a sac fly from Xavier Nady for a 4-1 lead.

A two-run home run from Parra in the eighth inning extended Arizona's lead to 6-1 while Rivera hit a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the frame to make it a four-run game.

Los Angeles tried to rally in the ninth as its first two batters reached base and, after J.J. Putz took the mound, Gwynn singled home a run to put the tying run at the plate. However, Putz got Aaron Miles and Andre Ethier to fly out for his 24th save of the season.

Game Notes

Arizona improved to 6-3 against the Dodgers this season...It was the third time this season that Arizona had back-to-back home runs...Ethier went 4-for-5 with a run scored in the loss...Arizona right fielder Justin Upton extended his hitting streak to 12 games, but saw his streak of 10 games with an extra- base hit come to an end. He is batting 22-for-46 during his run...Saunders improved to 2-4 over eight starts against the Dodgers...Los Angeles pitchers threw 209 pitches in the game.






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