Ray stymies Dodgers through 6 in D-backs’ 8-0 win

In his career, outside of that start 11 days ago, Wood has allowed three runs in 17 innings to the Diamondbacks. Chacin did a great job.

Chacin said he had better command of his off-speed pitches after the first.

The big-picture question for the Dodgers, of course, is what to do with Anderson in the playoffs, where they might run into even more powerful clubs than the Diamondbacks.

Closer Brad Ziegler pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the win. That was Arizona’s only win in Ray’s last nine starts, thanks in part to just 13 runs in the other eight games, and Ray’s 5.24 ERA during that span. “But I think our guys take a lot of pride when we go out there, so I don’t think tonight was anything different”.

Brett Anderson is usually the master of ground (ball) control when he toes the rubber for the Dodgers.

“He made a couple mistakes up in the zone and I was able to hit him”, Goldschmidt said of Anderson.

“The whole momentum of the game changed in the second inning”, Mattingly said. “Then all of sudden the breaking ball is up”.

Robbie Ray (4-12, 3.72) benefited from one of Goldschmidt’s home runs against Wood earlier this month to pick up his first victory since July 7.

Anderson allowed four consecutive hits to start the fifth, including a home run and a double before he was removed from the game in favor of Pedro Baez. That left the Dodgers’ magic number for clinching their third straight division crown at seven.

Later in the first, after back-to-back singles by second baseman Howie Kendrick and right fielder Andre Ethier, shortstop Corey Seager lined a double to right, scoring Kendrick for a 2-0 advantage. He broke Bill Russell’s 1969 mark.

“If we’re going to do well as a team next year and in the future, it’s not going to be just about the Dodgers”, Arizona center fielder A.J.

Leading off the fourth, Tomas hit a solo blast off Anderson, his ninth home run, to tie the score.

To begin the seventh inning, Alex Guerrero scooped up a chopping grounder to third base from Arizona’s Chris Owings and appeared to deliver in time for the out.

Chase Utley made his first 1,575th start of his career, but the first at third base, as the 13-year veteran handled the hot corner with no problems in his debut. As Inciarte raced to first, he veered to his right and avoided the tag by Gonzalez. However, first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called Inciarte out for running outside the base path.

Hill’s solo shot – his sixth homer this season – lifted Arizona to a 3-2 lead in the fifth. A pair of groundouts later and Arizona manufactured another run.