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Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda watches after surrendering a walk-off home run to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Escobar during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game in Phoenix. The Dodgers lost 4-3 and saw their NL West lead cut to a half-game over Colorado. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a first inning warm up pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Machado forces out Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte, left, as he turns a double play on David Peralta during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Machado hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte throws to first after forcing out Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner, as he turns a double play on Manny Machado during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Matt Koch #55 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a first inning warm up pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates his solo home run with Yasiel Puig (66) against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Matt Koch throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy slams his bat after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Matt Koch (55) leaves the baseball game during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ David Peralta (6) steals third during the sixth inning of a baseball game as Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner makes the catch, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger (35) hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) scores during the seventh inning of a baseball game as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal stands at the plate, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers slams his bat and helmet to the ground after striking out during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers turns a double play as AJ Pollock #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks slides into second base during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Ketel Marte #4 and Jon Jay #9 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after scoring on a double by David Peralta #6 during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Jon Jay #9 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds third base and scores on a double by David Peralta #6 during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Escobar rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Escobar (14) rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run as Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner leaves the field during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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The Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Escobar celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run to beat the Dodgers on Tuesday night in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 25: Eduardo Escobar #14 of the Arizona Diamondback celebrates with teammate Daniel Descalso #3 after hitting a game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on September 25, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 4-3. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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PHOENIX — It ain’t over ’til it’s over. And maybe not even then.
The National League playoff field spent Tuesday bunching up like bumper-to-bumper traffic. Everything is possible now. With five days left in the regular season, the Dodgers could finish anywhere from having the best record in the NL to needing to win a play-in game on Monday – to missing out on the postseason entirely.
“Pretty much taking it one day at a time,” Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal said after Kenta Maeda served up a walk-off home run to Eduardo Escobar and the Arizona Diamondbacks walked off with a 4-3 victory over the Dodgers.
“One day at a time, one pitch at a time, one AB at a time. … Can’t really look ahead.”
They better not look behind either, because someone is definitely gaining on them.
After sweeping the Colorado Rockies in L.A. last week, the Dodgers had a season-high 2½-game lead in the National League West. The Rockies have won five in a row since then while the Dodgers have gone 3-2. The division lead is down to a half-game and the Dodgers’ magic number is stalled at five with the Rockies holding a game in hand (they will play Thursday while the Dodgers are off).
“Obviously it’s a different ballgame,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re a half-game up, even in the loss column. Still, we’ve got to go out there and win ballgames.
“This is what you live for. You live for every game to be important. … The best team playing the best is going to continue to go forward.”
The Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers also won Tuesday. But not the other division leader with an unpunched postseason ticket, the Chicago Cubs.
With just five days left in the regular season, six teams – the Cubs, Brewers, Braves, Dodgers, Cardinals and Rockies – are within 4½ games. The Dodgers and Cubs each have only a half-game lead in their division.
Playoff seating (and seeding) has suddenly become as open as boarding a Southwest Airlines flight.
“It hurts obviously,” Kike’ Hernandez said. “Every loss at this point hurts.”
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler faced just one batter over the minimum through the first five innings, allowing two singles and walking a batter but also getting two double-play grounders.
He didn’t look like he needed any help to that point. And he wasn’t getting any.
Cody Bellinger led off the second inning with a solo home run, but the Dodgers couldn’t get another runner to second base until the fifth inning when Joc Pederson was stranded there.
That was one of a series of wasted opportunities. Three times in the game – the third, eighth and ninth – the Dodgers had a runner on second base with no outs and failed to advance that runner. They finished the night 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
“Guys were in scoring position but it was more the situational hitting,” Roberts said. “There were three opportunities we had tonight with a guy on second base with nobody out. To not be able to get that guy to third base I thought was the difference in the game.
“We had our chances.”
The Diamondbacks made the most of theirs. They got to Buehler for two runs with two outs in the sixth inning and Roberts went to the bullpen.
Scott Alexander got the first out in the bottom of the seventh but Roberts went to Dylan Floro, who didn’t retire any of the three batters he faced.
“I didn’t think the slider was as sharp,” Roberts said. “The (A.J.) Pollock base hit was a soft-serve base hit. The (Chris) Owings ball just didn’t get there. And then to the young kid, (Ildemaro) Vargas, it was supposed to be a sinker down and away and it was just in his nitro zone.
“I just don’t think he was as sharp as we’ve seen him.”
Roberts stuck with Floro as he loaded the bases on Pollock’s single, Owings’ double and an intentional walk and left him in to face the switch-hitting pinch-hitter, Vargas. Vargas stroked a single on the first pitch he saw, giving the Diamondbacks the lead.
Fourteen of the 20 runs the Dodgers have scored in six games against the Diamondbacks this month scored in the seventh inning or later. The Diamondbacks dodged a leadoff double by Manny Machado in the eighth but not a leadoff single by Hernandez in the ninth.
He stole second, went to third on a wild throw and scored when pinch-hitter Chris Taylor bounced a ground-rule double into the Chase Field pool. But Taylor never advanced any farther.
With the score tied, Roberts handed the ball to Maeda for the ninth. Escobar worked the count full then drilled a fastball over the wall in right for the walk-off hit.
#SeptemberBaseball, September spoiler. pic.twitter.com/UpcOZ5r3jF
— MLB (@MLB) September 26, 2018
Dave Roberts on the #Dodgers struggles with RISP, @buehlersdayoff’s outing and the postseason race. pic.twitter.com/zeom3rtdWl
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 26, 2018