Toonstruck 1 » Matt Kemp needled teammate Manny Machado

PHOENIX (AP) — in a happy Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse after Monday night’s 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Eric Thames Jersey , giving the star slugger a hard time for not running full speed out of the batter’s box while admiring a long drive to the wall in the ninth inning.The hit went for a double, falling just short of a home run, and gave Machado his second RBI of the game in a three-run ninth inning.“I thought I got it,” Machado said with a grin. “At least I got the RBI and we got the lead. I’ll take it. I’ll wear it.”Machado also drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout deep into the shortstop hole with the bases loaded in the seventh to score Yasiel Puig. That helped the NL West-leading Dodgers stay 1½ games ahead of Colorado, which routed Philadelphia 10-1 at Coors Field.David Freese homered and had three hits to back Clayton Kershaw (9-5), who allowed three runs and six hits over six innings in his fifth start against Arizona this season. He struck out six and walked one.The defending NL champions have won six of seven.Freese is hitting .375 since joining the Dodgers in an Aug. 31 trade with Pittsburgh. He finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs.“To go from thinking you’re not going to be traded to all of a sudden you’re a Dodger and you’re in there 24 hours later, you understand what this organization’s trying to do and you get called upon to help out,” Freese said. “Just kind of doing my thing and filling my role.”Ketel Marte homered and drove in three runs, all off Kershaw, and A.J. Pollock went deep against closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth. The Diamondbacks, already eliminated from playoff contention Glenn Robinson Jersey , have lost four straight and eight of nine.With the Dodgers trailing 3-2 to start the seventh, Yasmani Grandal walked and Puig came through with a pinch-hit single off reliever Andrew Chafin (1-6). Brad Ziegler gave up a pinch-hit single to Max Muncy that tied it 3-all.“That was the difference in the game, Yasiel’s at-bat, Muncy’s at-bat, and also defensively,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Really good to see everyone had their hand in it.”With one out, Freese singled to load the bases before Machado knocked in the tiebreaking run. The Dodgers scored three runs in the ninth on two wild pitches by Yoshihisa Hirano and Machado’s double.Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray went five innings, allowing two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.Arizona tied it at 1 in the bottom of the first with Eduardo Escobar’s single and Marte’s triple, which eluded Kemp’s lunging catch attempt in right field. Marte’s homer landed in the seats in left-center in the third for a 2-1 Arizona lead.“I had a good approach with Kershaw,” Marte said. “I was just trying to see the ball up and hit the ball in the right-center gap. Trying to put my best swing on it.”Freese ripped a 1-1 fastball from Ray opposite field over the right-field fence, tying it at 2 in the fifth. That brought chants of “Let’s go Dodgers!” from the many Los Angeles fans in the Chase Field stands.PLAYING TO WINBefore the game http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-manny-pina-jersey , Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he told Rockies manager Bud Black that the Diamondbacks would do their best to try to beat the Dodgers, even if they rested a regular or two. Arizona didn’t start the game with its top lineup but finished it that way.Roberts was asked how much he can appreciate that Arizona is still competing.“We would expect nothing less from Torey and the organization over there,” Roberts said. “First class. They’re going to play 162 games, that’s what we’d expect.”YOU’RE OUTTA HEREDodgers outfielder Joc Pederson was ejected in the top of the ninth by plate umpire Joe West after striking out swinging.TRAINER’S ROOMDodgers: RHP JT Chargois was reinstated from the disabled list. He missed more than a month with nerve irritation. “I’m just proud of him to get back out there,” Roberts said.Diamondbacks: 1B Christian Walker was hit near his nose by a pitch from Kenta Maeda with two outs in the eighth and left the game with a deep bruise. Lovullo said Walker had a CT scan after the game.UP NEXTDodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (7-5) brings a 2.74 ERA into his scheduled start Tuesday against Arizona. Opponents are batting .198 against the rookie.Diamondbacks: RHP Matt Koch (5-5) is set to face the Dodgers. He’s won each of his last three starts at home since May 28. In a pitching matchup that is common in many major league games in September, two relief pitchers will start Thursday night as the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals play the opener of a regular season-ending four-game series at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin (2-5, 6.44 ERA) will face Kansas City’s Glenn Sparkman (0-3, 4.86). The two American League Central Division teams are a study in extremes. The Indians (89-69) have won the division for the third consecutive year while the Royals (56-102) are in last place.Tomlin, 33, made six early-season starts before being moved to the bullpen. In 23 relief appearances, he is 2-2 with a 4.55 ERA. In eight starts Cecil Cooper Jersey , he is 0-3, 7.82.Article continues below ...Tomlin’s last appearance was a relief stint against Boston on Sunday in which he pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and picking up the win in a 4-3 Cleveland victory.His last start came Sept. 20, against the White Sox when he got a no-decision in a 5-4 Indians loss. In that game, Tomlin pitched four innings, allowing four runs and eight hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.Tomlin’s only appearance against the Royals this year was as a reliever Aug. 25, when he pitched one inning, giving up one run and three hits, with no strikeouts and no walks.The last time Tomlin started a game against the Royals was Sept. 14, 2017 http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-hernan-perez-jersey , when he got a no-decision in a 3-2 Indians win. In that game he pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.In 26 career appearances (21 starts) against Kansas City, Tomlin is 10-5 with a 3.93 ERA.Sparkman is at the other end of the career spectrum from Tomlin, who during his nine-year career has appeared in 182 major league games. The 26-year-old Sparkman has appeared in 16 major league games, mostly as a reliever.In 12 relief appearances for the Royals this year he is 0-2 with a 4.62 ERA. He has made two starts and is 0-1, 5.63. His last appearance came as a reliever in an 11-8 Royals’ loss to Detroit in which he received no decision. He pitched four innings, allowing two runs and five hits.Sparkman’s last start was a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Aug. 21. He pitched four innings, giving up three runs and seven hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. Thursday will be his first career appearance against Cleveland.A big challenge for Sparkman will be Cleveland designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who after hitting 38 home runs with 107 RBIs last year in his first season with Cleveland Domingo Santana Jersey , has hit 32 homers with 105 RBIs this year. Encarnacion has driven in at least 100 runs in six of the last seven years, including the last four years in a row.“As long as he stays healthy, you can pencil him in for 100 every year,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s nice to know, at the start of the season, that you’re going get 100 RBIs out of him.”Cleveland leads the season series 10-5.