Dodgers Have a Fun Play Day

Perhaps the Dodgers could find a loophole in major league scheduling rules, or simply request a favor from the commissioner’s office.

Somehow, the Dodgers need to play more games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, whom they routed, 10-3, Sunday while completing the first four-game sweep in the teams’ all-time series before 29,131 at Bank One Ballpark.

“The manner in which we came out and played today and applied the knockout punch to sweep the series ... that was very encouraging for me to see,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “When you have ambitions of being someplace special in the latter part of September, and you get a club in the position that we had them, you have to finish the job. We did a great job of that today.”

The Dodgers pounded 15 hits in their sixth consecutive victory and seventh in a row against the team with the major league’s worst record.

Cesar Izturis had a career-high four runs batted in, Jayson Werth established a personal best with four hits and Adrian Beltre hit his team-leading 23rd home run, matching his highest single-season total. Milton Bradley started in center and had two hits and an RBI a day after being hit on the back of the batting helmet with a pitch.

Izturis’ homer -- a three-run shot -- in a 10-pitch at-bat against Elmer Dessens (1-6) highlighted a four-run second, and then the Dodgers cruised behind another solid performance from Jose Lima (9-3). Lima settled down after struggling early with his command, retiring 11 in a row at one point in an eight-inning outing.

“It’s fun to watch these guys play now,” said Lima, who has had three consecutive quality starts and victories. “It’s not only one guy, it’s a different hero every day. This is terrific. This is great.”

The Dodgers improved to 15-3 in their last 18 games -- going 7-0 against Arizona during that span -- to move a season-high 14 games over .500 at 52-38. The hot National League West leaders are 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place San Francisco, their biggest lead since June 18.

The last-place Diamondbacks (31-62) have lost seven straight and are 22 1/2 games behind the Dodgers. The Dodgers are 11-2 against the Diamondbacks with six games remaining.

“We get up to play against them,” Beltre said. “Even though they have good hitters, we have a lot of confidence and we believe we can win.”

The only suspense Sunday was whether the Dodgers would have two players hit for the cycle.

Izturis hit a homer in his second at-bat, tripled in his third and went hitless in his final three. Werth singled, doubled and tripled in his first three at-bats. He singled and struck out in his final two.

Would Werth’s impressive production prompt the Dodgers to keep outfielder Juan Encarnacion on the disabled list a little longer?

“Juan Encarnacion has hit 12 home runs and driven in 41,” Tracy said. “To say that he has been shabby, prior to getting set back with the injury that he had, is not fair to Juan Encarnacion.”

Werth is content to contribute.

“I’ve got an opportunity to play and I’m trying to make the most of it,” said Werth, batting .365 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 19 starts. “I’m more concerned about the team, and the way we’re going right now is solid. We sweep these guys and then head to Houston. We’re missing their three big guys, so we very easily could go in there, get two from them and start the second half on fire. It’s exciting to play in L.A., play for the Dodgers, and doing the things we’re doing as a team.”

Werth said he’s focused on team success.

“At the start of the year, they told me my role would be the fourth outfielder and I would start against lefties,” he said. “I have no problem with my role on the team. If that’s what it takes for us to win, that’s what I’m going to do.”