Dodgers slug 4 homers, wallop Diamondbacks

The Los Angeles Dodgers powered up for four home runs, including a three-run shot from Chris Taylor, on their way to an 11-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night in Phoenix.

Edwin Rios and Matt Beatty made the most of their infrequent chance to be in the lineup, each hitting a home run, and AJ Pollock added a two-run shot. Justin Turner just missed a home run, settling for a two-run triple, and hot-hitting Corey Seager had two hits.

Seager has reached base in all nine Dodgers games. Los Angeles, which won for the fourth time in five games, scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning, chasing Arizona starrer Luke Weaver.

Rios took Weaver deep to center field with a runner on base in the top of the fourth inning, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Beatty followed with a drive into the visiting bullpen beyond the right field fence later in the inning.

Turner’s fifth-inning triple raised the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2, and he scored on Joc Pederson’s RBI single. Then Pollock hit second home run of the series and season.

Julio Urias (1-0) worked six innings in his first career start against Arizona. He allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

The Diamondbacks took an early lead on Eduardo Escobar’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the first. They pulled to within 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth on Carson Kelly’s single, which bought in Christian Walker from second base.

But the Dodgers had too much firepower, their 11 runs a season high. They totaled 11 hits without reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger in the lineup. Bellinger, who is off to a slow start, was given the night off.

Taylor’s first home run of the season came with two outs in the top of the eighth.

Arizona has lost three of its last four.

Weaver (0-2) allowed six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings, striking out five and walking three. His earned run average is 14.73 through two starts this season.

—Field Level Media