One run the difference again for Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Zack Greinke didn’t exactly dominate the Dodgers, least of all Corey Seager, who had a single, walk and career-best 440-foot home run off his former teammate.

But Greinke was one run better than Mike Bolsinger, who gave up two solo homers of his own — and then a tiebreaking score in a fifth inning that began with a Greinke single. That meant in the Dodgers’ sixth consecutive one-run game, they lost for the third straight time, 3-2.

It’s the first time the Dodgers have lost three one-run games in a row since September 6-8, 2013 at Cincinnati, according to Stats LLC.

Greinke allowed seven hits and two runs (the first on Justin Turner’s RBI double) in his seven innings, throwing 119 pitches — six shy of his career-high — and retired the side in order once.

The Diamondbacks hit the ball plenty hard themselves. Paul Goldschmidt homered once and had a potential second one ruled foul only by instant replay, Jake Lamb homered to the opposite field, and a few other balls went to the walls. But ultimately, it was a modest two-out single by Jean Segura that drove in Nick Ahmed, who had forced Greinke at second and then stolen second to get into scoring position.

The crusher for the Dodgers came in the eighth inning, after Greinke had departed. Daniel Hudson walked the bases loaded, forcing Arizona closer Brad Ziegler into the game. But Kiké Hernández struck out, and Howie Kendrick hit a sinking liner to center field that Michael Bourn caught in a forward dive.

Among other things, the Dodgers haven’t taken full advantage of exceptional pitching from their middle relief over the past week. Opponents are 9 for their last 56 with eight walks and three extra-base hits against Pedro Baez, Joe Blanton, Louis Coleman, Casey Fien, J.P. Howell and Adam Liberatore, for a .265 on-base percentage and .269 slugging percentage. The Dodgers’ last pitch of the game, by Blanton, induced an inning-ending double play from Goldschmidt.