Phoenix, AZ – Justin Upton hit a two-run triple as part of a five-run sixth inning, lifting the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second test of a four-game series at Chase Field.
Aaron Hill added three hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Diamondbacks, who snapped a season-high, six-game skid.
"We've struggled as of late," said Upton. "To get a big win tonight, kind of snap that streak and get everybody in a better state of mind is nice."
Josh Collmenter (1-2) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and two walks over six innings to earn the win.
J.J. Putz worked around a pair of singles in the ninth to record his 15th save of the season.
Clayton Kershaw (6-5) was touched for five runs on five hits and two walks through 5 1/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Dodgers, who saw their three- game win streak come to an end.
Bobby Abreu had three hits and an RBI in defeat.
Los Angeles stranded runners on second and third in the first inning, but were able to break through in the fourth after Tony Gwynn Jr. reached first on Willie Bloomquist's throwing error and rounded the bases on Abreu's two-out double to left-center field.
Adam Kennedy's leadoff homer over the right-field wall in the fourth inning gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
Los Angeles would later leave runners on second and third in the fourth and also stranded a man on second in the sixth before Arizona rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Henry Blanco opened the frame with a walk and moved to third two batters later on Bloomquist's base hit to right. It was the first time in the game the Diamondbacks had a runner advance past first base.
Hill followed with a bloop single to right field to plate Blanco before Upton pulled a two-run triple into the left-field corner. Jason Kubel then laced an RBI double into left-center field to knock Kershaw out of the game.
"I walked the leadoff guy, (they) got some hits and before you know it we're down so it was just a rough inning, really," said Kershaw.
Jamey Wright entered next and retired Paul Goldschmidt on a grounder to second, but issued back-to-back walks to Chris Young and Ryan Roberts to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Kubel to cross the plate before Abreu made a sliding catch on a sinking liner to left to end the inning as the Diamondbacks took a 5-2 advantage.
The Dodgers got a run back in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs off Bryan Shaw on a Gwynn walk and consecutive singles by Mark Ellis and Abreu. Juan Rivera then singled in Gwynn, but Mike Zagurski entered in relief and limited the damage to just the one run.
After pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston Jr. struck out, James Loney lifted a fly ball to left field. Ellis tried to tag up on the play, but Kubel's throw home one-hopped right to Blanco and he easily applied the tag to end the inning and keep it a 5-3 game.
David Hernandez stranded a pair of runners on second and third in the eighth inning prior to Putz shutting the door in the ninth to close out the game for Arizona.
Game Notes
Collmenter had six strikeouts and improved to 2-2 in five career appearances (four starts) against Los Angeles...Kershaw struck out seven and fell to 7-3 in 12 career starts against Arizona...The Dodgers hit 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base...Arizona went 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded four.