Dodgers Are a Big Hit Again

As usual, the Dodgers’ sound system belted out the 1970s chestnut “Low Rider” when Nomar Garciaparra came to the plate in the first inning Tuesday, his way of saluting his Whittier roots.

To borrow a catchphrase from the period, would he again be cruisin’ for a bruisin’?

A night after Garciaparra tied a major league record by being hit three times with pitches, he emerged unscathed, extending his hitting streak to 16 games but staying out of the line of fire.

The same couldn’t be said for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were subjected to a merciless thumping by the Dodgers for the second game in a row. The final was 11-3, in front of the 11th sellout crowd of the year at Dodger Stadium, and it pushed the Dodgers (43-40) into a three-way tie for first place in the National League West.

Oh, and with two out in the ninth, Danys Baez drilled Shawn Green in the hip with a 96-mph fastball.

Both sides said before the game that the situation wouldn’t escalate, but there it was, a welt as colorful as the postgame fireworks. Green, who had limped to first base, was not pleased.

“One hundred percent no coincidence,” he said. “All I know is, the only guys that got hit [intentionally the last two days] were on our team.”

Diamondbacks outfielder Luis Gonzalez raised his voice in the clubhouse.

“It’s ... gutless,” he said. “Go ask [the pitcher] so he can tell you the ball slipped out of his hand.”

Dodgers outfielder J.D. Drew was plunked on the leg by a pitch to lead off the fifth inning, but all it did was provide more fuel for the Dodgers’ merry-go-round. Moments later, Drew was steaming around third on Andre Ethier’s two-run triple.

Dodgers starter Aaron Sele (5-2) didn’t bother exacting revenge, instead turning in another outstanding start despite giving up runs in each of the first two innings.

A double by Drew led to a run in the second, then came a five-run third, another run in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth. In a span of 13 batters in the third and fourth, the Dodgers strung together seven hits, two walks and three sacrifices.

They also seemed to have taken sole possession of the high road until Baez pelted Green.

“Everybody knows I pitch inside to everybody,” Baez said. “That’s not anything new. If they’re mad, that’s not my problem. They can do whatever they want.”

So much for pregame pledges that there wouldn’t be a beanball war the day after Dodgers catcher Russell Martin and Diamondbacks rookie Conor Jackson were hit in addition to Garciaparra’s trifecta.

“This is something we’ll put behind us,” Dodgers Manager Grady Little said. “Things like that are usually settled on the field.”

Diamondbacks Manager Bob Melvin suggested that he contacted Little after Monday’s game to tell him no harm was intended.

“I know Grady some,” he said. “A lot of time you make a call like that, but it’s not for public consumption.”

The Diamondbacks, however, are getting chewed up after a reasonably hot start. They are in last place in the West and fading fast, having lost 22 of their last 28.

The Dodgers may be making a move in the other direction. After going 2-10 against American League teams in the last three weeks, they’ve found comfort within their division. And at home, where they are 25-16.

“As bad as we’ve played, when we pick up the paper and look at the standings, we’re glad to see where we are,” Little said. “Every team in the West is happy where they are at this point in their lives.

“We’ve got a division full of happy people.”

Including a certain first baseman, who was able to cruise without even the threat of a bruise.

Will today be a different story?

“We’ll see,” Green said.

Times staff writer Michael Becker contributed to this report.