Escobar’s walkoff homer lifts D-Backs

Eduardo Escobar homered off Kenta Maeda leading off the ninth inning, and the Diamondbacks tightened the NL West race with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (88-70) had won 10 of its previous 12 games to surge into the NL West lead, but Colorado (87-70) pulled within a half-game of the NL champions by beating Philadelphia 10-3.

Chris Taylor hit a tying double off Brad Boxberger (3-7) in the top of the ninth. Escobar sent a full-count fastball from Maeda (8-10) into the right-field seats, stopping Arizona’s four-game losing streak.

David Peralta had a two-run double and pinch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas lined a run-scoring single in the seventh inning for Arizona (80-78), which needs two wins to ensure consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2007-08.

Cody Bellinger hit a solo home run for the Dodgers.

Coming off a career-high 12-strikeout performance against Colorado in a no-decision, Los Angeles starter Walker Buehler allowed two runs and four hits in six innings.

He gave up a pair of singles through the first five innings and led 1-0 before allowing Peralta’s double. Enrique Hernandez hit a tying single in the seventh following Yasmani Grandal’s leadoff triple.

Matt Koch gave up a leadoff homer to Bellinger in the second, Los Angeles’ NL-leading 227th home run this season. Koch allowed one run and five hits in 41⁄3 innings.