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Dodgers, D'Backs Resume Battle For Top Spot In NL West

(Sports Network) - First place in the National League West will be on the line this evening when the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks continue their key three-game series at Chase Field.

The Dodgers moved into a tie atop the division with the D'Backs on Friday in dramatic fashion, as James Loney belted the winning homer in the 11th inning, and Nomar Garciaparra smacked two balls over the fence and drove in three runs in the 8-7 win.

Matt Kemp also homered for the Dodgers, who began the post All-Star break with their second consecutive win. Blake DeWitt came up with a spectacular game- saving stop at third base to force extra innings, and the Dodgers, despite a 47-49 record, are now deadlocked atop the division.

Cory Wade (1-1) pitched the 10th inning and Jonathan Broxton fanned the final two batters in a perfect bottom of the 11th to notch his first save. Broxton has been inserted as the closer for LA while Takashi Saito remains sidelined for approximately six weeks with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.

Conor Jackson and Orlando Hudson each had three hits and scored twice for the Diamondbacks, who have dropped three of their last four games. They have also lost five of their last seven home games.

Arizona had 15 hits, but went just 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base.

Chris Young and Alex Romero each singled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to put runners at the corners. Augie Ojeda then hit a sharp grounder to third, but DeWitt made a sliding stop and threw to first. Ojeda made a head-first slide, but was barely out.

Loney started the 11th by drilling a 2-1 pitch from Doug Slaten (0-3) over the wall in right field before Broxton closed it out.

Hoping to give the Dodgers sole possession of first tonight will be 23-year- old right-hander Chad Billingsley, who has won five of his last six starts. Billingsley picked up the win on Sunday against the Florida Marlins, as he allowed a run and five hits in seven innings to run his record to 9-8 on the season, while lowering his earned run average to 3.25.

Billingsley has lost to the D'Backs twice already this season, but is 4-3 lifetime against them with a 3.80 ERA in nine games, seven of which have been starts.

Arizona's hopes will rest on the right arm of All-Star Dan Haren, who is 8-5 with a 2.72 ERA. Haren last pitched on July 10 against Washington, but did not get a decision in that one, despite surrendering just an earned run in eight innings. He also allowed three hits and struck out nine, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 7-5 win.

Haren is 1-1 this season versus the Dodgers and is 2-1 in four games (three starts) against them with a 4.15 ERA.

Arizona has won four of its six matchups with the Dodgers this season, including a three-game sweep in the desert back from April 7-9.

Los Angeles Dodgers

News

Halting their current season-high losing streak doesn't get any easier for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The club continues its three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will send Dan Haren to the hill tonight at Chase Field.

Scoreboard

Sat, Aug. 308:10 PM
Los Angeles (65-70)
Arizona (69-65)

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