Diamondbacks continue surprising quest for wild card vs. Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to stack series wins in their improbable run toward a potential playoff spot, and they will go for their seventh series victory in the past eight when they meet the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in Phoenix.

The Diamondbacks spoiled Shohei Ohtani's six scoreless innings in his longest start of the season Tuesday. Ohtani departed with a 3-0 lead that the bullpen couldn't hold in a 5-4, walk-off Dodgers loss.

Arizona (80-77) remained one game behind the New York Mets (81-76) and tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the third National League wild-card spot with five games remaining. The Reds hold the tiebreaker over both teams.

The Diamondbacks are three games over .500 for the first time since they were 41-38 on June 24 and are 29-19 since Aug. 1.

"The good moments, the bad moments, you keep flushing them day by day," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "These guys go out and link up with each other as hard as any team I've ever managed. They never shut down."

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (5-4, 2.44 ERA) is scheduled to face Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.34) in the second game of the series.

The Dodgers (88-69) have clinched a playoff berth, and their magic number is three to seal the National League West title for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons. They are 1 1/2 games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the division race, but Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker.

Ohtani had not pitched into the sixth inning this season, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the phenom was progressing as planned after his long recovery from elbow surgery. Roberts called the likelihood of Ohtani starting a playoff game in the first series is "very high."

"We have a really good base now," Roberts said. "Once we get to the postseason, it's about winning. There is a reckless part of it I don't think we'll approach."

Snell has not allowed a run or an extra-base hit in his past two starts over 13 innings.

Snell gave up two singles and struck out 12 in a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 17. He had 11 strikeouts in six innings of a 9-0 victory Colorado won Sept.10.

He is 5-3 with a 2.26 ERA in 11 career starts against Arizona, but he has not had much recent success. He gave up three runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 3-0 loss to Zac Gallen on Aug. 29, and allowed six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in two starts against them in 2024. He was pulled after a 42-pitch first inning on Sept. 5, 2024.

Nelson has made five quality starts in his past six with a 2.57 ERA over 35 innings while going 1-0 because of a lack of timely run support. That is his only decision in his past nine stats and came in a 3-2 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 27.

He is 2-0 with one save and a 1.55 ERA in six career appearances (three starts) against the Dodgers.

--Field Level Media