Los Angeles, CA -- (Sports Network) - Nomar Garciaparra's sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-3, to complete a three-game sweep from Chavez Ravine.

James Loney knocked in three runs for the Dodgers, who have won eight games in a row to match their season-high. Andre Ethier finished 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored for Los Angeles, which increased its lead in the NL West standings to 1 1/2 games over Arizona.

"We had timely hitting today," Garciaparra said. "This was a big series, but we have to continue to play well and not look back."

Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw allowed three runs on six hits in four innings, while Hong-Chih Kuo (5-2) picked up the win after tossing a 1 1/3 scoreless frames. Jonathan Broxton recorded the final five outs to notch his 13th save.

Chris Snyder homered and drove in two runs in the loss, the Diamondbacks' sixth in eight games. Adam Dunn also homered for Arizona.

"We had good at-bats, but they outplayed us this series," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "We have to keep playing hard and play better."

Arizona was to start Randy Johnson on Sunday, but the five-time Cy Young Award winner was scratched due to shoulder fatigue. Max Scherzer started in his place and came away with a no-decision. The 24-year-old right-hander, making just the fourth start of his career, gave up three runs on five hits in five- plus innings of work. He also walked one and struck out a career-high 11.

Jon Rauch (4-6) absorbed the loss after he gave up two runs -- one earned -- in two-thirds of an inning.

After tying the game at three in the sixth, the Dodgers forged ahead in the seventh against Rauch. Blake DeWitt hit a ground-rule double and Angel Berroa laid down a sacrifice bunt. Dunn went to field the ball but slipped, putting runners on the corners for Garciaparra, whose sac fly to right drove in the go-ahead run. Berroa advanced to second when Upton dropped the ball in the act of throwing and eventually came home on an Ethier base hit for a 5-3 Dodgers lead.

With two outs in the ninth, pinch-hitter Chad Tracy slapped a double to left and Dunn walked before Garciaparra made a diving catch on a liner off the bat of Conor Jackson to end the game.

The Dodgers picked up two runs in the opening frame. Ethier had a one-out single and Manny Ramirez doubled before Loney stroked a two-run single to center.

Snyder's one-out blast in the second put Arizona on the board, and the Diamondbacks tied the game in the third on Dunn's 36th home run of the season. With one gone in the inning, Dunn worked the count full and golfed a fastball at the knees over the wall in left-center.

Arizona seized the lead in the fourth. Mark Reynolds lined a lead-off single and took second on Ramirez's fielding error. One out later, Snyder drove in the go-ahead run with a double into the left-field corner.

Reynolds doubled off Chan Ho Park to begin the sixth. With Snyder batting, Reynolds stole third. Arizona then decided to roll the dice and try a squeeze play, but Snyder couldn't deliver and Reynolds was caught stealing.

Scherzer, who struck out the side in fourth and fifth, issued a leadoff walk to Ethier in the bottom half. After Ramirez lined a single to right, Chad Qualls replaced the rookie hurler on the bump, and Loney's sacrifice fly knotted the score at three.

Game Notes

Snyder's homer was his 14th...The Dodgers have won seven straight at home...Los Angeles won the season series, going 10-8...The Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks in three games for the first time since July 3-5, 2006...Arizona left 10 men on base, while the Dodgers stranded six.