Diamondbacks Dominate Dodgers with Walker’s Stellar Performance
Christian Walker’s phenomenal performance, highlighted by two home runs among his four hits, powered the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 12-4 victory over the Dodgers. Walker has been a consistent thorn in the Dodgers’ side, racking up seven home runs in eight games against them this season.
In a twist of irony on the day Shohei Ohtani was named a National League All-Star starter, the Dodgers were left wondering why Walker wasn’t included. Walker’s prowess was on full display Wednesday night, as his two home runs exemplified his elite status among major-league players, driving the Diamondbacks’ comeback from an early three-run deficit.
The Dodgers had high hopes with rookie Gavin Stone on the mound, especially considering his recent streak of success. However, both Stone and Diamondbacks’ rookie right-hander Cristian Mena, making his major league debut, struggled equally, each allowing four runs over three innings. Stone’s recent dominance, highlighted by a 4-0 record and a 1.97 ERA in June, couldn’t be leveraged against Mena.
The Dodgers jumped to an early lead with Shohei Ohtani singling, Will Smith walking, and Freddie Freeman smashing a three-run home run. Teoscar Hernandez followed with his 19th homer of the season. It was the sixth instance of back-to-back homers for the Dodgers this season, with Freeman playing a role each time.
Despite the early advantage, the Dodgers’ lead was short-lived. Eugenio Suarez’s two-out RBI double and Gabriel Moreno’s fourth home run of the season in the third inning tied the game at 4-4.
The Dodgers’ third inning saw a chance to reclaim the lead slip away when Miguel Rojas lined out to right field, followed by Freeman being thrown out at home by Jake McCarthy while attempting to score on the play.
Walker capitalized on the momentum shift with a two-out homer in the fourth inning against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, propelling Arizona ahead. The Diamondbacks extended their lead with Geraldo Perdomo’s bunt in the fifth, Walker’s double in the sixth, and a two-run homer from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., marking his 12th of the season.
Suarez added another RBI double in the eighth inning, and Walker sealed the deal with a three-run homer off right-hander Michael Peterson in the ninth. This marked Walker’s 20th home run of the season and his 25th career homer against the Dodgers, surpassing his total against any other team, including the Colorado Rockies. He boasts 17 homers in 41 career games at Dodger Stadium.
Additionally, Ketel Marte, named the NL’s starting second baseman in the All-Star Game, contributed with a hit, two walks, and a run scored. Ohtani, also named the NL’s starting designated hitter, went 1 for 4 with a run scored.