LOS ANGELES — Another productive first inning and 5 1/3 innings from Zac Gallen lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a run-scoring single in a three-run opening inning and later homered as the Diamondbacks moved one victory away from their first appearance in the National League Championship Series since 2007. Game 3 will be played in Phoenix on Wednesday.
Gallen (2-0) gave up two runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Paul Sewald pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his third save of the postseason.
Dodgers rookie right-hander Bobby Miller (0-1) gave up three runs and recorded just five outs in his first career playoff start and appearance. Counting Clayton Kershaw’s disastrous start in Game 1, Dodgers starters recorded just six outs and yielded nine run in two games.
J.D. Martinez hit a home run for the Dodgers, who are in danger of being eliminated by a division opponent in the NLDS for a second-consecutive season after they were ousted by the San Diego Padres last year.
One game after scoring five runs before making their first out, the Diamondbacks loaded the bases three batters into Game 2 on a walk to Corbin Carroll, a bunt single by Ketel Marte and a broken-bat single from Tommy Pham.
Arizona scored its three first-inning runs on a sacrifice fly to deep center field from Christian Walker, a Gabriel Moreno groundout and Gurriel’s single.
Dodgers relievers Brusdar Graterol and Ryan Brasier helped slow the Diamondbacks, giving up one combined run in 4 1/3 innings.
Martinez inched Los Angeles closer at 3-1 in the fourth with a home run to right field.
The Dodgers had a prime scoring chance with two on and one out in the fifth, but Mookie Betts hit into a fielder’s choice and Freddie Freeman struck out looking on a Gallen curveball.
After the Diamondbacks went up 4-1 in the sixth on Gurriel’s home run to left against Brasier, the Dodgers threatened again in the bottom of the inning.
Gallen was removed after singles by Max Muncy and Martinez. Left-hander Andrew Saalfrank walked Chris Taylor to load the bases, but the Dodgers just scored once on an infield single from Enrique Hernandez behind the second base bag.
Arizona relievers Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and Sewald held the Dodgers scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings
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