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The Dodgers’ Trea Turner connects for an RBI single during the second inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to the plate during the second game of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Jordan Luplow slaps hands with his third base coach as he circles the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Jordan Luplow, right, is greeted by teammate Christian Walker after hitting a home run during the first inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger reaches for but can’t catch a ball hit by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker for a home run during the first inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly throws to the plate during the second game of their doubleheader against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts evades a wild pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly and gets a walk during the first inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly, right, talks with catcher Daulton Varsho during the second inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman is safe at third base as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Josh Rojas can’t tag him in time during the second inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger scores on a two-run double by Gavin Lux during the second inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Edwin Rios, center, is greeted by Trea Turner, left, and Freddie Freeman after they all scored on Rios’ three-run home run during the second inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers scored six runs in the second inning and rolled to a 12-3 win to complete a sweep of the doubleheader. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner throws to first to try to complete a double play as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker is forced out at second base during the sixth inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger is out at second base as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Jake Hager throws to first to complete a double play during the seventh inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker shows his frustration after striking out during the eighth inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers second baseman Max Muncy throws to first after forcing out the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas during the eighth inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts scores past Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Jose Herrera during the eighth inning of the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers infielder Hanser Alberto, who pitched the ninth inning, raises his fist as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Jose Herrera grounds out for the final out in the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers infielder Hanser Alberto, right, who pitched the ninth inning, gets a hug from catcher Will Smith after the final out of their 12-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second game of their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — Challenged by injuries and a schedule that will demand they play 31 games in 30 days, the Dodgers’ pitching staff could use a little help from their friends – you know, the ones with MVP trophies on their shelves at home and batting titles on their resumes.
They’re getting it now.
The Dodgers scored 19 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, exploding for five runs in the sixth inning to take the first game, 7-6, then scoring eight runs in the first two innings on their way to a 12-3 victory in the nightcap.
The double dip gives the Dodgers a four-game winning streak – spun on a dime from last week’s four-game losing streak.
“I think as an offense it doesn’t matter what stretch we’re in, we want to carry (the load),” Freddie Freeman said after driving in three runs with three doubles in the second game. “I guess it might be a little heightened because of the stretch we’re in. But as an offense, night in and night out, we’re just trying to score as many runs as we can.”
They’ve done that pretty well on this homestand, scoring 49 runs in seven games (double-digits twice) even as they lost the first three games to the Phillies.
“I don’t pay as much attention to it. But if you take a step back and look at it from your lens, I would say definitely. This is time for the offense to carry us through,” Mookie Betts agreed, when the pitching staff’s challenges were pointed out to him. “It is what it is. That’s why we have a really good team. We just have to do it.”
Betts has certainly been doing his part for a few weeks now. He was on base six times in Tuesday’s doubleheader, scored five runs and is batting .324 (24 for 74) with three doubles and six home runs in his past 18 games.
One of those home runs (his third in the past five games) came in the sixth inning of the first game Tuesday. Trea Turner and Justin Turner also homered in the inning as the Dodgers turned around an early 3-0 Diamondbacks lead.
The homer was Trea Turner’s first since April 16, and he has also heated up recently, going 14 for 39 (.359) over his past 10 games.
“It’s from Pitch One,” Freeman said. “The opposing starter is just on edge right when he toes the rubber. When you’ve got Mookie – an MVP, World Series champion, Silver Slugger – and he’s stepping in for Pitch One, you’ve got to be on it from Pitch One. To be mentally in it every single pitch is hard. It really is, as a pitcher to have to make a perfect pitch to every guy. When you’ve got a lineup like we do, that’s what you have to do against us and if you don’t we’re going to get you.”
The Diamondbacks’ Game 2 starter, Merrill Kelly, was in it from Pitch One, alright.
Dodgers starter Tyler Anderson gave up back-to-back home runs to Jordan Luplow and Christian Walker in the top of the first. But the Dodgers got that back quickly. Betts drew a leadoff walk, Freeman hit the first of his three doubles and Trea Turner drove them both in with a single.
Worse awaited Kelly in the second inning.
The Dodgers sent nine batters to the plate and scored six times, getting two on a double by Gavin Lux, one on another single by Trea Turner and three on a home run by Edwin Rios – batting cleanup for the first time in his big-league career.
The six-run second is the ninth time this season the Dodgers have scored five or more runs in a single inning.
“For sure, man,” Rios said of the Dodgers’ offense starting to fulfill its potential recently. “You look at our lineup and it’s full of All-Stars and MVPs so that’s what we expect – to put runs up there.”
Freeman’s second double of the game drove in two during a three-run sixth inning. He completed his triple-double in the eighth, driving Betts home – the fifth time the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter scored a run Tuesday.
“I think we’re getting going a little bit more,” Trea Turner said. “We’ve talked about it quite a bit this year, but nobody’s really played up to their potential. You’ve got Mookie right now and maybe Freddie but Freddie thinks there’s more in there, too.
“So just having conversations with guys, we know there’s a lot more in there.”
Anderson settled in after his rough first inning and went seven innings for the first time this season. Utility infielder Hanser Alberto closed out the long day (the first doubleheader at Dodger Stadium since 1999), allowing a run in the ninth inning of the second game but doing his part to ease the burden on the pitching staff.
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