Yoshinobu Yamamoto's won-loss record doesn't reflect just how well he has pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.

And the Dodgers need a big outing from him Saturday night when they meet the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, seeking to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Yamamoto will go up against Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt for the second time this season, with Pfaadt and the Diamondbacks victorious in a 9-2 game at Dodger Stadium on July 11.

Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76 ERA) has made 16 quality starts this season, one behind major league leader Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins.

Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66) was 0-1 after a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on April 11 and has won his past six decisions. In that span, he has done damage to his National League West rivals, beating the San Diego Padres twice, the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. He also defeated the St. Louis Cardinals twice.

The Dodgers are 2-8 in their past 10 games and the Diamondbacks are 7-3. That has allowed Arizona to close what one was a seemingly insurmountable 14-game division lead for the Dodgers to 7 1/2. Arizona leads the season series between the clubs 6-5, and they won't meet again in the regular season.

The Diamondbacks and Phillies are tied for the second NL wild-card spot entering play Saturday.

Ryan Waldschmidt's walk-off homer led Arizona to its 4-3 win on Friday. His two-run blast came with one out off a hanging slider from closer Edwin Diaz.

"Different bus drivers each night," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "We're a good team. That's what good teams do.

"We have a very competitive streak when we play the Dodgers."

The Dodgers did not have a hit through five innings against Merrill Kelly, who left in the sixth after allowing two hits and a run. His departure was due to a muscle cramp, but he is not expected to miss a start.

"We were really dormant (against Kelly)," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh inning, then took a 3-2 lead Andy Pages' solo home run in the eighth.

Yamamoto has made quality starts in 11 of his past 12 outings, the hiccup occurring in the July 11 loss. He gave up six runs of five hits and four walks in six innings.

Pfaadt opened the season in the Arizona rotation but was moved to the bullpen after three starts, then optioned to Triple-A Reno in early June for a reset.

He relies on location and a six-pitch mix -- two fastballs and a sinker, slider, curve and changeup to generate weak contact. He has thrown each of his pitches at least 10 percent of the time, according to FanGraphs.

"Trying to be as efficient as possible, pounding the zone and going out there and attacking guys and being the aggressor," Pfaadt said. "I think just establishing the zone and then using the mix after that. I think that's the biggest thing, and that's something I got away from."

Pfaadt beat San Diego 5-1 in the opener of the current 10-game homestand, giving up an unearned run in 6 2/3 innings. His streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings ended on a throwing error.

Ceddanne Rafaela of the Red Sox hit two homers off Yamamoto in his most recent start, a 3-2 loss in Boston on Aug. 1.

"If I was able to hit the spot I wanted to, the result would have been different," Yamamoto said through his interpreter.

Yamamoto is 4-2 with a 2.92 ERA in eight career starts against the Diamondbacks and has split with them this season after giving up two runs in six innings in an 8-2 victory in the season-opener on March 26.

Ketel Marte is 5-for-21 with a homer against him. Corbin Carroll is 2-for-23 with seven strikeouts.

Pfaadt is 5-2 with a 5.11 ERA in 10 appearances (nine starts) against the Dodgers. The two losses came in Pfaadt's rookie season in 2023.

Mookie Betts is 11-for-25 with two homers against him, and Freddie Freeman is 9-for-25 with a homer. Shohei Ohtani is 5-for-21 with a homer and five strikeouts.

--Field Level Media