Diamondbacks' improvement will be tested by heavyweight Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks will host the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers when they meet for the first time since the Dodgers swept a season-opening three-game series in Chavez Ravine.

Some things have changed.

Some have not.

The National League West-leading Dodgers' 38 victories are the second-most in the majors entering the Arizona rematch that begins Monday at Chase Field, and their 14-3 record since May 12 is the best.

The Diamondbacks were on a similar roll until being swept in Seattle over the weekend, but they are 14-7 since May 8.

"We had one bad week and people tried to write us off," closer Paul Sewald said in a TV interview after the Arizona's second three-game sweep of San Francisco in 10 days finished an 11-2 stretch on May 27.

The Diamondbacks also took five of seven from the Colorado Rockies in their recent stretch.

"People are going to say bottom half of the league, but you have to beat the teams you are supposed to beat, and we did an amazing job the last two weeks," Sewald said.

Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1, 2.31 ERA) is slated to oppose Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan (3-1, 4.70) in the series opener.

The Dodgers have won nine of 11 after beating Philadelphia 9-1 in the rubber game of a three-game set Sunday with an offense that scored 66 runs in that stretch.

Andy Pages leads the majors with 50 RBIs, and Shohei Ohtani has bumped his batting average to .280 while going 24-for-61 (.393) with four homers in his last 17 games.

"Honestly, it just feels like we're showing up every day and playing baseball," said Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who hit his team-leading 14th homer Sunday.

"That's how it felt when we're playing bad, and that's how it feels when we're playing good. And that's the way you want it to be. ... You don't want to chase the highs. You don't want to lower the lows."

Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte, the NL Player of the Week two weeks ago, was 24-for-47 (.511) with four homers, six doubles and 17 RBIs in a recent 11-game surge before cooling off in Seattle, going hitless in 11 plate appearances.

Rodriguez gave up one unearned run in five innings in the final game of the season-opening series in Los Angeles, in which the D-backs led 2-0 in all three games but could not hold on for victory.

Rodriguez has taken a big step forward in his third season in Arizona, morphing into the most effective starter. He was 3-1 with a 1.60 ERA with four of his six quality starts coming in five May outings. The D-backs were 4-1 in those games.

"We've been playing pretty good, pitching pretty good," Rodriguez said after limiting the Giants to two runs in six innings in a 7-5 win in San Francisco last Tuesday.

"That's what a good team is and we are doing it right now, and we just hope to keep doing it."

Rodriguez is 2-4 with a 5.26 ERA in eight career starts against the Dodgers. Ohtani is 5-for-20 with two doubles, a homer and six walks against him. Freddie Freeman is 10-for-17 with three doubles and a homer, while Miguel Rojas is 6-for-8.

Sheehan started the second game of the season against Arizona and gave up four runs, including Marte's bases-empty shot, but did not get a decision in the Dodgers' 5-4 victory. It was his only appearance against the D-backs.

He has made quality starts in two of his last three, grabbing a 5-2 home win over the Giants on May 14.

--Field Level Media