Arizona Goes Deep, Buries Dodgers 6-3

The Diamondbacks used three home runs, including two from Gerardo Parra, to beat the Dodgers 6-3 on a long Sunday at Dodger Stadium. At three hours, 36 minutes, today's game was the fourth-longest nine-inning game by the Dodgers this season.

All year long the Dodgers have struggled offensively at home, though it hasn't all been due to the park itself. The Dodgers have been outscored at Dodger Stadium 237 to 185 this season, and have been out-homered 51-30, including three to one today. Dioner Navarro hit his first right-handed home run of the season, a shot down the line in left field off Joe Saunders.

Saunders threw one fewer pitch than Rubby De La Rosa, and lasted nearly twice as long, picking up his eighth win of the season. Saunders allowed two runs on eight hits in his 7 2/3 innings, striking out three. Meanwhile, De La Rosa needed 104 pitches to get through his four innings, walking four while striking out six. De La Rosa allowed a pair of home runs, as Ryan Roberts and Parra went back-to-back in the top of the second inning.

J.J. Putz got the final two outs for his 24th save, though the Dodgers did bring the tying run to the plate with one out in the ninth inning. Aaron Miles and Andre Ethier each flew out to end the game.

Notes

• Dodger pitchers combined to throw 211 pitches today, the first time all season they have thrown 200 or more pitches.
  
• Ethier had four singles on the day, his first four-hit game since October 2, 2010, which was also against Arizona at Dodger Stadium. The starting pitcher for Arizona in that game was Saunders, who also started today.
• Matt Kemp had two singles, extending his hitting streak to eight games.
• Dee Gordon had a single in four at-bats in his first game back.
• Hong-Chih Kuo allowed Parra's second home run, a two-run shot in the eighth inning. One year after posting the best ERA (1.20) in Dodgers history (minimum 40 innings), Kuo this season has the fifth-worst ERA (12.46) among all Dodgers with 10 innings pitched.
  
• The Dodgers are off to San Diego for a three-game series starting tomorrow night. In a battle of southpaws, Clayton Kershaw starts the opener, opposed by Cory Luebke for the Padres
  

WP - Joe Saunders (8-8): 7 2/3 IP, 8 hits, 2 runs, 3 strikeouts

LP - Rubby De La Rosa (4-5): 4 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts

Sv - J.J. Putz (24): 2/3 IP, 1 hit

Box Score