Puig has big night, Kendrick lifts Dodgers over D-backs 7-6

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yasiel Puig homered among his four hits, Howie Kendrick singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Arizona 7-6 Wednesday night for their seventh consecutive victory over the Diamondbacks.

Daniel Hudson (1-2) issued consecutive one-out walks to Puig and Adrian Gonzalez before Kendrick’s bloop single to right field gave the Dodgers a three-game sweep.

Puig hit a three-run homer in the second, and his four hits tied a career high. He finished a triple short of the cycle.

Yasmani Grandal had a solo homer for the Dodgers, who have defeated the Diamondbacks nine straight times at home. The latest win gave Los Angeles three consecutive home series sweeps over Arizona dating to last year.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen (1-0) blew a save chance for the first time this season, giving up A.J. Pollock’s career high-tying eighth homer leading off the ninth.

Los Angeles’ four-run lead got cut to 5-4 on consecutive homers by Paul Goldschmidt, whose two-run shot was his 100th career homer, and Yasmany Tomas in the fifth off starter Brett Anderson.

Kike Hernandez’s sacrifice fly extended the Dodgers’ lead to 6-4 in the sixth. Chris Owings hit a sacrifice fly for Arizona in the seventh.

Puig homered in the second on the first pitch from starter Jeremy Hellickson, giving the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.

Grandal hit a high-arcing homer in the third that a fan in the front row of the right-field pavilion caught one-handed, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-1.

The Dodgers backed Anderson with some solid defensive plays. Rookie center fielder Joc Pederson got his glove over the wall to rob Tomas of a homer with two runners on in the third. Third baseman Alberto Callaspo backhanded a liner for the final out of the fourth.

The Diamondbacks had the potential tying and go-ahead runs at second and third in the sixth after Nick Ahmed singled, stole second and went to third on a passed ball by Juan Nicasio, who walked pinch-hitter David Peralta before leaving with a cracked nail on his middle finger.

Andre Ethier caught Ender Inciarte’s fly to left field for the inning’s second out, but after making a poor throw to home plate he was promptly removed for Hernandez. Yimi Garcia escaped the inning when Pollock struck out swinging.

Anderson allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings, struck out three and walked one.

Hellickson gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings, struck out four and walked two.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner didn’t play for the second straight game after fouling a pitch off his left kneecap in the series opener Monday. He was doing better Wednesday, and he will get more rest on the off day Thursday. … The goal for LF Scott Van Slyke, who hasn’t played since May 30 because of a back injury, is to become pain-free in order to begin a minor league rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: Chase Anderson (1-1, 3.12 ERA) starts the series opener Friday at San Francisco after an off day Thursday. He has allowed one run or less in five of his last seven starts. He has never faced the Giants.

Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 3.36) starts the series opener Friday at San Diego after the team’s only off day of the month on Thursday. In his last outing against St. Louis, the left-hander allowed one hit in eight scoreless innings to earn his third straight win.