Los Angeles @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2018 ) LA Dodgers 7, Arizona 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers send rookie sensation Walker Buehler to the mound Tuesday against the host Arizona Diamondbacks with hopes of moving a step closer toward their sixth consecutive division title. David Freese went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs on Monday as the Dodgers opened the three-game series with a 7-4 victory.

Manny Machado drove in two runs to help Los Angeles win for the 10th time in 12 contests and remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Colorado in the National League West. Justin Turner added two hits and is batting .364 in his last 29 games for the Dodgers, whose magic number for the NL West title is five with five games remaining. There was a large and vocal contingent of Dodgers fans at Chase Field for Monday's series opener against the Diamondbacks, who have dropped 13 of their last 16 contests and scored a total of seven runs during their current four-game losing streak. Ketel Marte provided the bulk of Arizona’s offense in Monday’s loss by going 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run and three RBIs.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.74 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Matt Koch (5-5, 4.26)

Buehler turned in another stellar outing last Wednesday, allowing two unearned runs and three hits while registering a career-high 12 strikeouts in six innings of a 5-2 victory over Colorado. The 24-year-old rookie owns a 1.58 ERA over his last 10 starts, recording 79 strikeouts over 62 2/3 frames. “I really like our chances when he's taking the mound,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “I feel the same, obviously, about Clayton (Kershaw). A different sort of track record, but Walker has ascended to that.”

Koch has shuttled between the bullpen and rotation this season but earned another start after tossing four scoreless innings of relief against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. “He threw the ball extremely well in the back end of that game,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo told reporters. "We felt like this is a good opportunity for him to go out there and get a true start.” The 27-year-old rookie is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two career games (one start) versus the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles has won 10 of its last 14 games on the road, where it has gone 44-32 this season.

2. Arizona 1B Christian Walker is day-to-day after being hit in the face by a pitch in the eighth inning of Monday's contest.

3. The Dodgers activated RHP J.T. Chargois from the 10-day disabled list.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 1