Major League Baseball

Diamondbacks 8, Dodgers 2

Published Aug. 1, 2012 7:19 a.m. ET

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have sent a message to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first two games of their NL West showdown: This is going to be a three-team race after all.

Paul Goldschmidt homered in the first inning for the second straight game, Miguel Montero added a three-run shot and rookie Wade Miley pitched eight dominant innings for the Diamondbacks in an 8-2 victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday night.

The Dodgers' loss, coupled with San Francisco's 4-1 win over the Mets, dropped Los Angeles behind the NL West-leading Giants while the Diamondbacks remained 3 1-2 games off the pace.

''It's just the dynamics of the team. The pitching's been good and guys are picking each other up. That's all part of it,'' Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew said. ''When you're in a race like this and you're still a ways to go, we just have to keep our rhythm going and have the confidence to go out every day and play as hard as you can. I've been here for seven years, and what's going to get us there is your pitching and defense, and timely hitting - and a hot streak.''

Miley (12-6) allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked one. The only run against the left-hander was a first-inning homer by Mark Ellis, who came in 6-for-11 against him.

''Ellis pretty much owns me, but I got back on the same page with Miggy and he put down the right fingers tonight,'' Miley said. ''I was throwing three of my pitches for strikes and keeping guys off-balance a little bit. They were hitting ground balls and the defense was making plays.''

Miley, inserted into the rotation on April 23 after right-hander Daniel Hudson went on the disabled list with an impingement in his shoulder, hasn't walked more than two batters in any of his last 19 starts - one behind Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo for the longest active streak in the majors.

''I just have the confidence throwing strikes,'' Miley said. ''Me and Miggy have a great relationship. He trusts me, I trust him and everything's been working. We're swinging the bat right now and pitching well, and we've just got to keep grinding it out. As long as we keep winning games, we'll be where we need to be at the end.''

Chris Capuano (10-7) allowed five runs, six hits and three walks in six innings with six strikeouts. The left-hander is 1-4 with a 4.66 ERA in his last five starts - a stretch that began with a 7-1 loss at Arizona on July 8.

The Dodgers and D-Backs made separate deals in the waning hours preceding Tuesday's non-roster trading deadline. Los Angeles sent reliever Josh Lindblom to Philadelphia for Shane Victorino, who will be the Dodgers' regular left fielder and leadoff hitter.

Arizona acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik and reliever Matt Albers from Boston for reliever Craig Breslow. Victorino won a World Series ring with the Phillies in 2008, and Podsednik got one with the 2005 Chicago White Sox.

Goldschmidt, whose three-run homer Monday night against Aaron Harang ignited a 7-2 Diamondbacks victory, drove Capuano's 1-2 pitch into the lower seats in the left field corner for his 15th of the season after a two-out walk to Jason Kubel.

''Anytime you get an opportunity to get ahead early in the game, you have to take advantage of it,'' Goldschmidt said. ''I don't care what team you're playing against. You're going to play better when you score early and play with a lead.''

Capuano returned to the dugout after the inning and slammed his glove against the wall before taking a seat - but he was back on his feet moments later congratulating Ellis on his one-out solo homer.

''I'm not happy with the way I've been attacking the left-handers like Kubel the last couple of games,'' Capuano said. ''I feel like I have an advantage against those guys, and I need to be hitting my spots. I was frustrated by the walk, and I get frustrated when I get a guy 0-2 or 1-2 and put one in a zone where he can hit it.''

The Diamondbacks' first three hits all were by Goldschmidt, whose sixth-inning single was his eighth hit in 10 career at-bats against Capuano.

''I can't explain it. Maybe next time he'll punch me out four times,'' Goldschmidt said. ''I'm sure he didn't like where some of those pitches were. They were good pitches to hit. When guys make mistakes, sometimes you hit them, sometimes you foul them off. So we'll see what happens next time.''

Justin Upton, the subject of numerous trade rumors on Tuesday, followed Goldschmidt's third hit with another single and Montero made it 5-1 with a towering drive into the bullpen in right on a 2-0 count - one pitch after Capuano got a visit from pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

Arizona tacked on three runs in the ninth when Chris Young scored on Upton's fielder's choice grounder and Chris Johnson hit a two-run single with the bases loaded. Johnson had a grand slam in Monday night in his Diamondbacks debut after coming over in a trade from Houston, and is 4-for-8 with his new club.

Notes: Dodgers C Matt Treanor went 0-for-2 with a walk while his wife, Misty May Treanor, was half a world away preparing for her next beach volleyball match at the London Olympics on Wednesday. She is vying for her third Olympic gold medal. ... The D-Backs are 14-1 this season when Goldschmidt homers. Before this series, only one of his 21 previous big league home runs came in the first inning. ... Capuano is 3-10 with five no-decisions when he has given up a homer in the opening inning. ... When Victorino makes his Dodgers debut on Wednesday afternoon against D-Backs' Triple-A callup Patrick Corbine will become the eighth player manager Don Mattingly will have used in the leadoff spot this season, and the ninth to start in left.

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