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Dodgers hang on to beat Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-4

Dodgers third baseman Alex Guerrero (7) is congratulated by catcher Yasmani Grandal after hitting a two-run home run against the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning Sunday in Phoenix.
Dodgers third baseman Alex Guerrero (7) is congratulated by catcher Yasmani Grandal after hitting a two-run home run against the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning Sunday in Phoenix.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
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LATE-INNING SCARE: With the Dodgers ahead by seven runs, Manager Don Mattingly wanted to use the ninth inning to get some of his relievers some work. It nearly cost his team the game. Paco Rodriguez started the inning by striking out David Peralta, then induced Jake Lamb to hit a grounder to Scott Van Slyke at first base, only for Lamb to reach safely when Van Slyke tripped on the infield dirt. Determined to get Chris Hatcher into the game, Mattingly called on the slumping right-hander to face Chris Owings, even though Owings was 0 for 14 in his career against Rodriguez. Hatcher loaded the bases by giving up a double to Owings and walking Cliff Pennington. Nick Ahmed struck out, but Hatcher served up a run-scoring single to Jordan Pacheco, then further eroded the Dodgers’ lead by giving up a bases-clearing double to A.J. Pollock. With the advantage down to 7-4, Mattingly called on Joel Peralta to replace Hatcher and face Ender Inciarte with Paul Goldschmidt on deck. More serious trouble was averted when a fly ball by Inciarte landed a couple of feet outside the left-field foul line. Later in the at-bat, Inciarte ended the game by lining out to Joc Pederson in center field.

ON THE MOUND: Zack Greinke pitched seven scoreless innings. Greinke was replaced by Pedro Baez, who struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth.

AT THE PLATE: Yasiel Puig hit his first home run of the season. Pederson and Alex Guerrero hit the first home runs of their careers. Pederson and Guerrero were both a triple shy of cycle, with Guerrero driving in four runs.

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MEDICAL UPDATE: Juan Uribe and Justin Turner didn’t play, still recovering from injuries sustained the previous day. Uribe experienced no problems with his hamstring while under the watch of trainer Stan Conte before the game, and Manager Don Mattingly said he was available as a potential late-inning substitute. Turner’s left index finger was still swollen, but the utilityman reported feeling better than he expected.

ROSTER MOVE: Right-hander Ryan Webb, recently acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, was outrighted to triple-A Oklahoma City. However, Mattingly couldn’t confirm whether the reliever will report to the minor league affiliate.

UP NEXT: Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 7.20 ERA) will face the Seattle Mariners and James Paxton (0-1, 3.00) at Dodger Stadium at 7 p.m. On the air: TV: SportsNet LA; Radio: 570, 1020.

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