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Turner, Buehler help Dodgers complete 4-game sweep of Diamondbacks
In the second inning of Wednesday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler reached back and threw a fastball at 97.6 mph. It was the fastest pitch he’s thrown all season.
The pitch resulted in a run for the D’backs — Geraldo Perdomo hit a ground ball to second base and Josh Rojas scampered in from third — but the pitch taught Buehler something important: speed was on his side.
That proved to be a big deal in the Dodgers’ 5-3 win, which sealed a four-game sweep of the Diamondbacks and extended their winning streak to five games. Justin Turner’s go-ahead, three-run home run against Zack Davies (2-2) was the critical hit before an announced crowd of 35,643 at Dodger Stadium.
For Buehler, whose trusty curveball/cutter/changeup mix was not as sharp as he liked, the four-seam fastball was his best weapon. It proved useful in the fifth inning, when Arizona used three consecutive singles to load the bases. Reliever Justin Bruihl began warming up in the bullpen.
Manager Dave Roberts stuck with his Opening Day starter instead. Buehler struck out Jordan Luplow and Pavin Smith, both on fastballs, then got Christian Walker to hit a grounder to third base to end the inning.
“That’s the first time all year I’ve tried to reach back and grab something, and it’s been there,” Buehler said. “I think we’re on track in terms of my delivery and my throw. You have a short spring (training), things like that, you think you’re ready and feel ready. You’re not quite as sharp or in perfect game shape as you think you are.”
Buehler (5-1) allowed five runs in five innings in his previous start Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was not much sharper Wednesday against a Diamondbacks team that lacked star power on offense. Armed with a new weapon, Buehler gritted through five innings on 91 pitches, allowing two runs.
“This is my eighth start,” he said. “I should be in game shape by now. I’ve always struggled early in the year. I’m treading water right now to find it. I’m pretty happy with that performance given how I feel, but I want to get better.”
Turner’s fourth home run of the season ended a seven-pitch at-bat against Davies in the fourth inning. Six of the pitches were changeups; the last of them hung up long enough for Turner to pummel it over the short left field fence, and erase the Dodgers’ 2-1 deficit.
Cody Bellinger went 2 for 3 on an afternoon when all but one of the Dodgers’ starting position players collected a hit. Bruihl, David Price and Daniel Hudson did not allow a run in relief. Hudson was credited with his second save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
The Dodgers have an offday today before beginning a three-city, 10-day road trip Friday in Philadelphia.
Innings were a prized commodity all homestand as the Dodgers tried to navigate a stretch of 31 games in 30 days. Seven bullpen roster spots changed hands in seven days. The Dodgers turned to two rookies, Michael Grove and Ryan Pepiot, to fill in for injured starters. They lost three consecutive games to the Phillies, then were nearly swept Sunday before winning that game in their final at-bat.
Turner said the momentum from Sunday’s win carried over into the series against the Diamondbacks. The Dodgers averaged nine hits and more than seven runs per game en route to their four-game sweep. Turner, who has struggled all season, hit home runs in each of the last two games.
“I feel like I’ve been slowly getting closer, closer and closer,” he said. “I don’t feel like it’s all the way perfect yet. I feel like I’m in good position to compete and get results.”