Arizona @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2016 ) Arizona 7, LA Dodgers 9

The surging Los Angeles Dodgers have capitalized on San Francisco's freefall and pulled within one game of the first-place Giants in the National League West, the closest they’ve been since May 15. Los Angeles has won 14 of its last 22 games heading into Saturday’s contest against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, who have dropped eight of their last 10 and figure to be active sellers before the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

The Dodgers' offense continued to lead the way in Friday’s 9-7 series-opening victory as Joc Pederson homered and drove in four runs while Corey Seager raised his average to .307 with two doubles among his three hits. Right fielder Yasiel Puig has been held out of the starting lineup for the last six games due to a strained hamstring but might avoid the disabled list after appearing as a pinch hitter on Friday. The Dodgers have gone 18-4 in their last 22 home games against the Diamondbacks, who could have ace Zack Greinke (oblique) back as soon as next week after he tossed three scoreless innings in a minor-league rehab start on Friday. Right fielder David Peralta returned Friday and went 0-for-2 in his first action since landing on the disabled list with a lower back strain on June 15.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Braden Shipley (0-1, 10.13 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Scott Kazmir (9-3, 4.35)

Shipley took the loss in his major-league debut against Milwaukee on Monday, allowing six runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. “There were ups and downs about the outing, and I took the positives away and we’ll build off those, and the negative things that happened, I’ll just learn from them,” Shipley told 98.7 FM Arizona Sports. The 24-year-old former first-round draft pick was 8-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts for Triple-A Reno this season.

Kazmir won his seventh straight decision on Sunday, holding St. Louis to three runs and six hits in five innings. The 32-year-old is the National League’s only unbeaten starting pitcher (minimum 10 starts) since May 14, going 7-0 with a 3.73 ERA in 13 outings. Kazmir last faced the Diamondbacks on June 22, 2007 while with Tampa Bay, allowing one run and three hits in 7 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona is 19-1 when allowing three or fewer runs on the road.

2. Los Angeles is 23-7 at home since May 17 after beginning the season with a 9-12 mark at Dodger Stadium.

3. The Diamondbacks optioned INF/OF Michael Freeman to Triple-A Reno to make room for Peralta.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 3