Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 3: Scott Van Smash!

LOS ANGELES -- Like a boxer going toe-to-toe against a strong puncher, the Dodgers decided to play on the turf of the masters on Tuesday night, sending the Diamondbacks into yet another extra-inning game. But thanks to Scott Van Slyke's walk-off home run, the Dodgers won 5-3 in 11 innings to get one step closer to a knockout blow in the National League West.

Mark Ellis hit a one-out single off Josh Collmenter in the 11th inning, followed by Van Slyke's first career walk-off home run. It was the seventh walk-off win for the Dodgers this season.

The win moved the Dodgers to 9-5 in extra-inning games, including 4-1 at home. The Diamondbacks, who have played in an MLB-high 23 extra-inning games this season, fell to 16-7 in extras, including 10-4 on the road.

More importantly the Dodgers now lead the NL West by 13 games with 18 to play.

The Dodgers struck first with two runs in the second inning, thanks to some help from Arizona. Juan Uribe walked, his fifth consecutive plate appearance reaching base, then advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by Mark Ellis. Edinson Volquez tried to sacrifice Ellis to second base but his bunt wasn't far enough in front of home plate. Catcher Miguel Montero threw wildly to second, allowing Uribe to score and Ellis to reach third.

Yasiel Puig grounded out to score Ellis for the second unearned run of the inning.

The Diamondbacks didn't do much against Volquez until the fourth inning, when Paul Goldschmidt singled, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on a single to left field by Miguel Montero to cut the Dodgers' lead to 2-1.

One inning later that lead vanished when Didi Gregorius followed a leadoff walk by Gerardo Parra with a two-run home run, crushed halfway up the pavilion in right field for a 3-2 Arizona advantage.

Magic number

With the win, the Dodgers lowered their magic number to clinch the National League West to six.

The Dodgers tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth when a pair of two-out walks were followed with an RBI double by Andre Ethier, his team-leading 32nd of the season.

Volquez remained in the game and pitched a scoreless sixth inning, giving the Dodgers a quality start by definition. Volquez allowed three runs on four hits in his six innings with one walk and a strikeout.

Chris Withrow retired the all four batters he faced to pick up his third win. Withrow has retired the last 15 batters he has faced, including nine by strikeout.

Notes

• Paco Rodriguez pitched a perfect seventh inning, and Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect eighth inning. It was the 70th appearance of the season for both, tied for the team lead.
• Kenley Jansen, who pitched in his 69th game of the season, struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning, giving him 102 strikeouts on the season and the MLB lead for strikeouts in relief, one more than Aroldis Chapman.
• Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a walk on the night, though one of his singles narrowly missed being a home run by a few feet. The ball ricocheted perfectly off the center field wall for Adam Eaton to throw out Gonzalez at second base. Gonzalez has a four-game hitting streak, hitting .588 (10-for-17) during that span.
• Dee Gordon pinch ran for Gonzalez in the 10th inning, his first pinch-running appearance since getting called up on Sept. 1. Gordon stole second base, his seventh theft of the year, but was ultimately stranded at third base.
• The Diamondbacks have now played in 75 extra innings this season, one extra frame shy of the MLB record, set by the 1969 Twins, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.

Up next

The Dodgers wrap up their series against Arizona on Wednesday night, with Hyun-jin Ryu on the mound looking for the sweep. Fellow southpaw Patrick Corbin starts for the Diamondbacks in a game that will be televised by Prime Ticket and ESPN.

Tuesday particulars

Home runs: Scott Van Slyke (7); Didi Gregorius (7)

WP - Chris Withrow (3-0): 1⅓ IP, 1 strikeout

LP - Josh Collmenter (4-3): 1⅓ IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout