When Dodgers right-hander and Cy Young award front runner Zack Greinke was a late scratch prior to Wednesday night’s game against the third place Arizona Diamondbacks, Dodger fans weren’t feeling too optimistic – especially after having lost four in a row at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 2013. So when veteran second baseman Chase Utley launched the first pitch he saw to leadoff the bottom of the first inning over the center field wall off of Dbacks right-hander and his namesake Chase Anderson, it gave Dodger fans a huge sigh of relief and the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Utley got things started in a hurry when he hit the first pitch he saw on Wednesday night for his first career leadoff home run. He would later hit a game-winning RBI double in the eighth inning to lead the Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Dbacks. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Unfortunately, Dbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt returned the favor in the top of the second inning off of spot starter Carlos Frias to tie it at 1-1 – a score that would remain unchanged until the bottom of the eighth inning. In addition to Frias, the Dodgers used left-hander Ian Thomas, right-hander Pedro Baez, left hander Luis Avilan and right-hander Chris Hatcher – who collectively allowed no runs and only four hits with no walks and four strikeouts through their combined four innings of relief work. It was a bullpen masterpiece – a term that hasn’t been used very often this season.

Although Messrs. Thomas, Avilan and Hatcher all did an outstanding job, it was the strikeout of Goldschmidt in the top of the seventh inning on a 100-mph fastball by Baez that stole the show… until the eighth inning, that is.

After a perfect top half of the eighth inning by Avilan and Hatcher, Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off the bottom half of the inning with an absolutely perfect drag bunt down the first base line that caught the Dbacks completely off guard and went for a single. When Dodgers manager Don Mattingly sent new arrival Ronald Torreyes to pinch-hit for Hatcher instead of one of his power hitters, it was obvious that he was up there to sacrifice bunt Rollins over to second base and did just that. This brought Chase Utley to the plate once again, and once again, the 36-year-old Pasadena native delivered – this time with a double off the wall in the right field gap to score the speedy Rollins without a throw.

With the Dodgers now leading 2-1 and Utley on second base, rookie phenom Corey Seager – who was making his third start at third base since his September 1 call-up – laced an 80-mph knuckle curveball by Dbacks left-hander (yes… left-hander) Matt Reynolds just inside the right field foul pole for a two-run home run – Seager’s third of the month and second off a lefty.

Seager’s two-run home run on Wednesday night put the game on ice for the Dodgers. It was his third home run since his September 1 call-up and his second off a lefty. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen sealed the deal with a scoreless ninth inning to record his 33rd save and give Hatcher the two-batter win.

Worthy of mention is the brilliant performance by Carlos Frias who threw only 43 pitches in his four innings of work allowing only one hit (the Goldschmidt home run) while walking none and striking out two. It was exactly the start that the Dodgers needed from the 25-year-old Nagua, Dominican Republic native.

With the win, coupled with the Giants loss to the Padres, the Dodgers again lead their hated rivals by 7.0 games while lowering their division-clinching magic number to five. And with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitching today’s 12:05 pm (PT) matinee in the series and season finale against the Dbacks, the Dodgers could lower their magic number to three by tonight – depending on the outcome of the Giants/Padres game at Petco Park.