Dodgers fall flat in loss to last-place Diamondbacks

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy gets set to toss his bat after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner makes a throwing error on a ground ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ildemaro Vargas, allowing a run to score, during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers as Diamondbacks third base coach Tony Perezchica, right, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen throw a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw flips a new baseball in the air after giving up a home run to Arizona Diamondbacks’ Carson Kelly during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks’ Carson Kelly, right, steps on home plate after hitting a home run as Los Angeles Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith, left, looks on during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks’ Henry Ramos runs into his own bunt attempt for an out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) argues with umpire Chad Whitson, left, during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte connects for a single against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner, right, celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with teammate Max Muncy (13) during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen, right, pauses on the mound after giving up a home run to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol celebrates an inning ending double play against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his run scored against the Los Angeles Dodgers with Diamondbacks’ David Peralta, left, and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner (6) connects for a home run as Dodgers’ Max Muncy (13), umpire Chad Whitson, second from left, and Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly look on during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy gets set to toss his bat after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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PHOENIX — In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing under the name ‘Los Serpientes’ this weekend.

But it’s the Dodgers who probably should have used an alias Saturday.

Clayton Kershaw gave up home runs to start each of the first two innings. The Dodgers had as many hits on offense as errors on defense (two) through five innings and struck out eight times in six innings against Zac Gallen in an uninspired 7-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“It wasn’t a well-played game tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said bluntly.

“I think tonight Gallen was just better than we were. I don’t know how else to spin it.”

There was no positive spin to put on a game in which the Dodgers managed just five hits and were beaten by the 105-loss Diamondbacks. Combined with the Giants’ win in Colorado on Saturday night, the Dodgers (99-56) fell two games back in the NL West race with seven games left in the regular season.

“I don’t think we look at it that way. I think we’re just trying to win a game,” Kershaw said of chasing the Giants. “Obviously we’re watching what they do. We’re definitely looking at the scoreboard and things like that. But we can’t control that. We’re not super worried about what they’re doing. We’re just trying to win games. It’s hard to do both. It’s hard to focus on your game and hope that they lose and things like that. Just come out and try to win tomorrow.”

The Dodgers are beginning to run out of tomorrows in the division race. The Giants’ magic number to clinch the division (the combined number of Giants wins and Dodgers losses) is down to six.

“It’s over. Obviously, we’d love to have this one back. But you have to move on,” said Trea Turner, who was the sum total of the Dodgers’ offense with two solo home runs. “The only game we can win is the next one on our schedule.”

That schedule seemed to serve up a fat one for the Dodgers this weekend. But the Diamondbacks jumped on Kershaw immediately. Ketel Marte ripped Kershaw’s first pitch of the night on a line into the left-field seats. Carson Kelly hit Kershaw’s second pitch of the second inning for another home run.

“Just a couple bad pitches early,” Kershaw said. “You miss your spot sometimes. Hopefully, they keep it in the ballpark but it didn’t happen tonight. I put us in a hole early, couldn’t get out of the fifth. There were a few good throws in there but overall it wasn’t great.”

The Diamondbacks scored an unearned run off Kershaw in the fourth inning when Justin Turner made a throwing error on what could have been an inning-ending ground out.

Kershaw gave up two hits to start the fifth inning and an RBI single to Daulton Varsho after the Dodger infield couldn’t turn a double play on Henry Ramos’ bouncer to Justin Turner.

That was the end of Kershaw’s night. In his third start back from the Injured List, Kershaw lasted just 4 1/3 innings and left trailing 4-0. He gave up six hits, striking out just three. He threw 73 pitches and got just 10 swings-and-misses after getting 20 on 74 pitches against the Reds last weekend.

“The fastball velocity was good. He just didn’t have command tonight,” Roberts said. “You look at his pitch mix — the fastball, the slider and the curveball — it just wasn’t crisp tonight and he didn’t command it the way we know he can.”

The Dodgers’ offense offered no cover for Kershaw’s rough start.

Gallen (who earned a win for just the third time in 22 starts this season) struck out six of the first seven Dodgers batters and allowed just three hits in his six innings, flashing the potential that is one of the few bright spots the sagging Serpientes have.

“We just couldn’t figure out Gallen,” Roberts said. “He just came out and stuck it to us. We got behind early and couldn’t recover.”

Trea Turner hit his home runs off Gallen in the sixth inning and another leading off the ninth against Caleb Smith. But the Dodgers had just one other baserunner over the final three innings, going mildly while the Diamondbacks added a run in the seventh and two in the eighth against the Dodgers’ bullpen.

“They all hurt, like I say. That’s why regardless of record you’ve still got to go out and play the game,” Roberts said. “Tonight, Gallen had our number and we couldn’t get anything going outside of Trea.

“When you’re looking at seven games left in a season and potentially … trailing by two games with seven to go, yeah, it hurts. But what we have to do is win tomorrow. Things can still change but we have to win the games for us to win.”

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