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Arizona Diamondbacks get to their first NLCS since 2007 with a stunning four-homer inning that sweeps the Los Angeles Dodgers

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The 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs by the hard-hitting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night thanks to a record-breaking barrage of solo home runs in the third inning of Game 3 of the NL Division Series.

The D-backs will play either the Phillies or Braves in the NLCS, where they will make their first appearance since 2007.

With an 84-78 record and the No. 6 seed in the NL playoff bracket, Arizona Diamondbacks has won all five of its games thus far, sweeping both the Brewers in a best-of-three series and the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five series.

Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, and Gabriel Moreno all hit solo home runs for the wild-card Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning, setting a postseason record. The Diamondbacks defeated the right-handed veteran Lance Lynn.

Arizona Diamondbacks then led 4-0 and never looked back.

After two-out RBI singles from Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez off of sidearmer Ryan Thompson gave the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers a chance to score two runs, lefty Andrew Saalfrank came on and retired Austin Barnes on a groundout.

In the ninth inning against reliever Paul Sewald, Will Smith had a one-out single, but Taylor’s flyout to deep center in front of the 413-foot sign and Hernandez’s flyout to left ended it.

The first two innings of a scoreless game were easily handled by Lynn, who gave no hint as to what would follow.

Perdomo hit his first home run since August 13 to start the scoring. One out later, Marte connected on a 1-0 cutter for a 428-foot drive to right. Walker secured a 3-0 lead with a 3-1 cutter to left field with two outs, prompting another cheer from the Chase Field fans.

The fourth pitch was a 2-1 fastball that Moreno slashed down the line to the opposite field, which right field umpire Gabe Morales ruled was fair. The foul call was overturned by crew chief Todd Tichenor after the umpires conferred, and the decision was supported by a video review.

The following pitch from Lynn was a hanging slider, and Moreno blasted it 420 feet over the left-field wall while flipping his bat into the air and beginning to trot.

A short while later, a disappointed Lynn threw the ball to manager Dave Roberts and stomped into the dugout.

The most home runs in a major league season were given up by Lynn, who allowed 44. Twelve times, most recently by the Los Angeles Dodgers against Atlanta in 2020, did a postseason inning set the record for three home runs.

Right-handed rookie Brandon Pfaadt of the D-backs tossed 4 1/3 innings without allowing a run while striking out two.

The D-backs excelled, while the Los Angeles Dodgers were helpless for the third straight game. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were on a loaded roster, but they weren’t able to have much of an influence on the series.

With a runner on first, both All-Stars struck out in the eighth inning against Kevin Ginkel. Betts went 0-for-11 for the series, while Freeman went 1-for-10.

Raeesa Sayyad

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