Putz, D-backs done in by Dodgers' rally in ninth

Putz, D-backs done in by Dodgers' rally in ninth

Published Sep. 2, 2012 4:13 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- J.J. Putz was two outs from converting his 20th save opportunity when he hurried himself and made two key mistakes that cost the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Adrian Gonzalez doubled in the tying and winning runs off Putz (1-5) in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 5-4 victory on Sunday that left the Diamondbacks to settle for the series split.

Gonzalez lined an 0-2 pitch into the right field corner after Mark Ellis singled with one out and Shane Victorino walked.

"I got ahead of Adrian right there and tried to elevate to get him to chase it, but I just didn't get it up enough," said Putz, who blew his first save since May 22 against the Dodgers. "The walk is the one that hurts. I was rushing to the plate, trying to be quick and try to keep Ellis from trying to swipe the bag."

Putz's 19 straight save opportunities were the third-longest active streak in the majors.

John McDonald and Miguel Montero each scored a run and drove in two others for the Diamondbacks, who went 6-3 at Dodger Stadium this season and are 10-6 against Los Angeles with two regular-season games left between the teams. Each of the four games in the series was decided by two runs or fewer.

The Diamondbacks open a three-game series at NL West-leading San Francisco on Monday.

"We've got to keep playing. We've got to keep playing hard," Montero said. "We've been playing good and had some momentum. Unfortunately, we got the loss and now we've got to go up to San Francisco and go after those guys."

Montero's two-run homer with two outs in the fourth inning gave Arizona a 3-1 lead after McDonald's homer leading off the third had tied the score.

Arizona rookie starter Wade Miley allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings, struck out three and walked two.

"I stuck with him a long time trying to get to the back of the bullpen, but then he walked Kemp after getting ahead of him 0-2 (in the sixth)," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.

"When you lose a game like this, you start being picky. J.J. didn't make a very good pitch on Gonzalez 0-2. He tried to put something out of the strike zone, but he left it over the middle and you saw what happened. It hurts. This one stings. It's a big, big loss for us."

Despite blowing an early lead, the Dodgers gained the split after winning 2-1 behind Josh Beckett on Saturday night.

Ronald Belisario (4-1) pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out three while allowing a double to Chris Johnson.

Matt Kemp ran up to Gonzalez and tossed a container of water on him during an on-field postgame interview. Gonzalez had struggled since being traded to the Dodgers from Boston on Aug. 25.

Kemp hit his 18th homer leading off the second to put the Dodgers up 1-0.

The Dodgers pulled to 3-2 in the sixth on Andre Ethier's RBI groundout to second base that scored Kemp, who walked and advanced to third on a double by Hanley Ramirez.

Arizona extended its lead to 4-2 in the seventh when McDonald reached on an infield single to pitcher Shawn Tolleson, scoring Paul Goldschmidt, who singled, took second on Montero's single, and was sacrificed to third.

The Dodgers got to 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh on Victorino's two-out RBI single that dropped in right field between Chris Young and Justin Upton.

Dodgers starter Chris Capuano gave up three runs and four hits in five innings, struck out four and walked none. He made 78 pitches, his second-fewest of the season.

NOTES: Miley hasn't allowed more than two walks in 24 consecutive starts, extending the longest active streak in the majors this season. ... RHP Chad Billingsley is considering having another platelet-rich plasma injection in his injured right elbow. Manager Don Mattingly said Billingsley, who had the first one on Friday, is feeling "a little bit optimistic," but Mattingly said the club won't allow him to start throwing until he's pain-free. ... The Dodgers selected the contract of OF Bobby Abreu from Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled RHP Chris Withrow from Double-A Chattanooga before placing him on the 60-day DL. Abreu returned after hitting .353 in five games with the Isotopes since being designated for assignment on Aug. 1. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.

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