Christian Walker produced a second straight multi-homer game as the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks posted a 9-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.
Walker socked five homers in the series to help the Diamondbacks win the final two games after dropping the opener on Tuesday.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Walker’s 19 homers at Dodger Stadium are tied for the most by any visiting player at any ballpark since 2018. The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge has hit 19 homers in Baltimore during that span.
Joc Pederson and Walker hit back-to-back homers off Los Angeles rookie Landon Knack (1-2) in the first inning to give Arizona a 2-0 lead. Walker connected again in the third, a two-run shot that pushed the lead to 4-0.
The first baseman finished with his career-high fifth straight multi-hit performance while increasing his season homer total to 22.
Walker missed a chance at a third homer when the Dodgers intentionally walked him in the fifth and retired him on a groundout to end the seventh. He came up with two on in the ninth against Nick Ramirez and drew a four-pitch walk.
Ketel Marte, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno added RBI hits to help the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers for the fourth time in the past five meetings.
Enrique Hernandez hit an RBI grounder and Austin Barnes had a two-run single during a three-run fourth for Los Angeles.
Knack allowed four runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Arizona’s Zac Gallen gave up three runs on four hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked three in his second start since returning from a strained hamstring last week.
Justin Martinez (3-0) struck out five in three scoreless innings, highlighting his outing by fanning Shohei Ohtani in the seventh.
Aided by center fielder Alek Thomas’ sliding catch, Arizona’s Ryan Thompson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth before Thyago Viera struck out the side in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
