The Los Angeles Dodgers used another dominant performance to win 9-2 over the Nationals to temporarily move into a tie for first place, but the Diamondbacks moved back in front by a 1/2 game hours later on great defensive throws. Centerfield AJ Pollock (pictured) tracked down a double by Pablo Sandoval at the left-centerfield wall, and fired a perfect strike to shortstop Cliff Pennington, whose relay was on the money to Miguel Montero to nail Buster Posey at home by inches.
The perfect relay kept Arizona ahead 1-0 in the sixth inning in what could have been a big inning by the Giants. There were no outs when Posey tried to take the extra base, going against the book that with no outs one stays on third and assumes a grounder or fly out will bring one home.
The Diamondbacks did score two more runs against relievers who would not have been in the game if the Diamondbacks had not been ahead, but the Giants rallied to cut the deficit to 3-1 and had a chance to rally further in the ninth.
Kensuke Tanaka hustled down the line to beat out a double play grounder, which would have put the winning run at the plate with only one out. However, when the throw skipped away, Tanaka turned and headed toward second base. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt retrieved the ball and made a perfect throw to second to record the second out en route to the 3-1 final.
The two defensive plays pushed the Diamondbacks to 51-47, a half game ahead of the 50-47 Dodgers.
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