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Diamondbacks Walk-Off Homer Stuns Dodgers, Seventh Straight Loss

8/8/2026

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Summary

Waldschmidt Walk-off

On Friday, August 7, 2026, Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 4-3 with a walk-off homer by Ryan Waldschmidt off closer Edwin Diaz.
Diaz (1-1) allowed two runs on one hit, posted an 11.00 ERA, and signed a three-year $69 million contract, the highest average reliever salary in baseball.
The loss was the Dodgers' seventh straight defeat, dropping them to 69-47 while they remain 7½ games ahead in the NL West.

Summary

Dodgers Bullpen Blues

The Dodgers' bullpen has posted a 5.00 ERA since May 26, ranking 16th in MLB and has blown 16 saves.
Colin Cowherd called the Dodgers “a mess” and said the Skubal deal was “more life-raft than helipad.”
The team is on a six-game losing streak that ties its longest stretch since a seven-game run in 2025, one of six such streaks since 2017.

History

Historical Context

Lee Smith, the first pitcher to reach 400 saves and holder of the 478-save record until 2006, entered the 1995 season with the California Angels, posting a 0.00 ERA early and a 37-save total that beat the league’s 4.71 ERA average. His high-profile contracts reflected the era’s shift toward one-inning closers, a trend the Orioles later embraced amid their 71-win 1995 campaign.

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Waldschmidt Walk-off

On Friday, August 7, 2026, Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 4-3 with a walk-off homer by Ryan Waldschmidt off closer Edwin Diaz.
Diaz (1-1) allowed two runs on one hit, posted an 11.00 ERA, and signed a three-year $69 million contract, the highest average reliever salary in baseball.
The loss was the Dodgers' seventh straight defeat, dropping them to 69-47 while they remain 7½ games ahead in the NL West.

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