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Before Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly warned that his club might fall into a trap game after the emotional high of their series sweep in San Francisco. Fast forward 30 hours, and the Diamondbacks are turning this into a trap series for the Dodgers after winning two games by a combined 15-4 score.
"Yesterday's game was the one I was worried about," Mattingly said after Tuesday's 8-2 loss. "This has just been one of those series where you're emotional. We go in three down in San Francisco and get a sweep, you're on the road and play good on a trip. I've seen it happen way too many times."
The game was a 2-1 contest until the sixth inning when, with two runners on and two outs, Chris Capuano served up a three-run home to Miguel Montero run into the Arizona bullpen in right field for a 5-1 lead. It added to Capuano's struggles of late, as he has lost four of his last five starts.
"It's got to be my focus, with guys on base, as I don't seem to have the same sharpness when pitching from the stretch right now," Capuano said. "That was the frustrating part, being one out and one pitch away, to keep us in striking distance. With our lineup, even against a guy like Miley, if you keep it close you can win it in the late innings. It was disappointing."
With the loss, the Dodgers now trail the Giants by a game in the National League West, and the Diamondbacks are lurking at three and half games back in the division. Mattingly sees a three-team race down to the wire.
"They've got a good club. What they were able to do in the winter, with the kid (Trevor) Cahill they get and (Jason) Kubel, those are two good pickups," Mattingly said. "They have a club that can score runs, they can do some things. They're tough."
The Dodgers have lost five straight games against the Diamondbacks, though Arizona manager Kirk Gibson doesn't want to hear about it.
Kirk Gibson was reminded that his team has beaten the Dodgers in five straight games. "Shhhhh," he said. "Why do you say stuff like that?"
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) August 1, 2012
No Roster Move Yet
The Dodgers didn't announce a roster move after the game to activate Shane Victorino. We will have to wait until the morning to see if someone hits the disabled list, or if Juan Uribe (one plate appearance in last nine games) and his nearly $10 million in remaining salary are shown the door, or is Shawn Tolleson (43 pitches in the last two days) is optioned for a third time this season.
Up Next
The Dodgers open August by trying to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks. Wednesday afternoon, a noon start, is a battle of rookie pitchers, with Stephen Fife battling Patrick Corbin in the series finale.