Dodgers rally for 5-4 win over Arizona

PHOENIX — Ronnie Belliard hit the last of Los Angeles’ five two-out singles in the eighth inning, breaking a tie and giving the Dodgers a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Right-hander Billy Buckner limited Los Angeles to one run and five hits in seven innings before the Dodgers cashed in against the Arizona bullpen for their third straight victory.

Arizona, which tied a franchise record with five double plays, put the tying run on base when Gerardo Parra singled with two outs in the ninth inning, but Jonathan Broxton got his 34th save by getting Justin Upton to hit a comebacker. The Diamondbacks have lost six straight.

Broxton had his second save in as many days and third in four games. He has converted nine straight attempts since blowing a 3-1 lead on two homers in the ninth inning at Arizona on Aug. 15.

Russell Martin of the Dodgers singled off Blaine Boyer with one out in the eighth before Juan Pierre beat out a potential double-play grounder by a half-step to keep the inning alive.

Rafael Furcal singled to center and Matt Kemp had an RBI single, making it 4-2 before left-hander Daniel Schlereth (0-3) gave up an RBI single by Andre Ethier to make it a one-run game.

Right-hander Esmerling Vasquez came in and pitched around Manny Ramirez, walking him on four pitches to load the bases for James Loney, who lined a single to left to tie the game.

Belliard hit a slow chopper toward shortstop on which there was no play as Ethier scored to give the Dodgers the lead. Belliard is 11 for 31 with seven RBIs in nine games since joining the Dodgers on Aug. 30.

Los Angeles remained 3½ games in front of Colorado in the NL West and remained tied with St. Louis (83-57) for the best record in the NL.

James McDonald (5-4) struck out the side in the seventh for the victory.

Furcal had three hits, and Ethier had two hits and two RBIs.

Arizona had two double plays started by shortstop Stephen Drew, two by third baseman Mark Reynolds and one by second baseman Augie Ojeda.

Buckner drove in a run with an infield single in the second, and doubled in a run after Ojeda’s two out-double in the sixth. It was Buckner’s first career two-hit game.

Buckner is 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season.

Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He was 8-3 with a 2.72 ERA in his first 14 starts this season but is 3-6 with a 5.24 ERA in his last 15.

NOTES: Los Angeles LHP Randy Wolf is the apparent starter Friday. Wolf threw a bullpen session Tuesday, and “that would line him up for Friday,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. The Dodgers needed a replacement when LHP Clayton Kershaw (right shoulder) collided with a field-level scoreboard at Dodger Stadium while shagging fly balls in batting practice Sunday. RHPs Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla are being considered for the Saturday start, Torre said. … Dodgers 1B Jim Thome (heel) missed his second straight game and was unavailable Tuesday. 3B Casey Blake (hamstring) missed his fourth straight start. … Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin attended the game, wearing a Dodgers hat. He and Los Angeles 2B Orlando Hudson, a former D-back, are friends.