Ildemaro Vargas, Diamondbacks rally to complete sweep of Dodgers
Jul 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Mitch Bratt (60) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Ildemaro Vargas delivered a go-ahead single in the sixth inning and Tim Tawa hit a home run as the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a 5-3 victory Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nolan Arenado and Ryan Waldschmidt also drove in runs for the Diamondbacks, who head into the All-Star break on a four-game winning streak, their longest since a five-game run of success in May.
Mitch Bratt filled in for an injured Zac Gallen and gave up three runs over three innings before the bullpen came to the rescue with six scoreless innings. In his second career start, Bratt gave up three hits and walked three without recording a strikeout.
Ryan Thompson (4-2) pitched a scoreless inning to earn the win and Paul Sewald worked the ninth for his 22nd save.
Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff home run for the Dodgers, who lost three consecutive games for the first time since they were on a four-game skid in early May.
Tommy Edman had a two-run single, while Emmet Sheehan gave up three runs over 5 1/3 innings for Los Angeles with seven strikeouts. Edgardo Henriquez (4-1) gave up the go-ahead run in the sixth.
Despite the recent skid, the two-time defending champion Dodgers will enter the All-Star break with a major league-best 61-34 record.
The Dodgers jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead when Ohtani hit a home run to center field, his 22nd, on Bratt's first pitch of the game.
Bratt did not allow another hit until Ohtani doubled to lead off the third. Ohtani and Andy Pages scored on Edman's bloop single to left field for a 3-0 advantage.
The Diamondbacks got to Sheehan in the fifth. Vargas and Arenado had back-to-back doubles for a run. Arenado reached third when Pages dropped Tim Tawa's drive to center at the wall. Waldschmidt followed with a full-count sacrifice fly.
Arizona tied the score 3-3 in the sixth inning when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a ground ball to third base and Geraldo Perdomo scored when he was hit by Max Muncy's throw to the plate. Vargas followed with his go-ahead single into the right-field corner.
The Diamondbacks plated an insurance run in the eighth on Tawa's third homer of the season, two of which have come in the last three games.
--Field Level Media
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