The Dodgers Won. Arizona Made Them Earn It.

If the National League West is going to provide the Dodgers with a legitimate challenger this season, it might not be wearing brown and gold.

That observation won't be universally popular in San Diego, but through two games in Arizona, the Diamondbacks continue to look like a team capable of making life uncomfortable for the defending World Series champions.

The Dodgers found a way to win Tuesday night, holding off a furious late rally to beat Arizona 6-5 at Chase Field and even their four-game series at a game apiece. The victory improved Los Angeles to 15 wins in its last 19 games, but it came with another reminder that the Diamondbacks have little interest in rolling over simply because the Dodgers happen to be in town.

Arizona entered the bottom of the seventh trailing 6-2 and staring at what appeared to be a comfortable Dodgers victory.

The Diamondbacks had other ideas.

Three walks helped fuel the rally, but contenders still have to cash in the opportunities they're given. Arizona did exactly that, pushing three runs across and suddenly turning what looked like a routine evening into a tense finish. Teams that expect to matter in September know how to create pressure when opportunities arise. Pretenders generally don't.

The Dodgers have seen enough of Arizona over the past two seasons to know the difference.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, they had already built enough of a cushion.

As has become customary, Shohei Ohtani had a hand in that.

Actually, several hands.

The Dodgers' two-way superstar finished with a double, a triple and two RBIs, continuing a stretch in which he seems determined to make every game feel like an event. At various points Tuesday, many in attendance were quietly monitoring the possibility of a cycle, even if nobody wanted to admit it out loud.

And just in case anyone needed a reminder of how absurd Ohtani's baseball existence has become, he'll take the mound Wednesday night.

Freddie Freeman continued his own hot stretch with a three-hit performance that included a two-run homer in the first inning. His assessment of Ohtani afterward was refreshingly simple.

"That's why we've been winning a lot," Freeman said with a laugh. "When you have the greatest player of all time playing this game and he's on your team and he's hot like he is right now, it's fun to watch and be a part of."

Freeman's point was spot on.

Ohtani doubled to open the game, scored on Freeman's ninth homer of the season and later delivered a two-run triple that helped establish a 4-0 lead. When baseball's most dangerous player is creating traffic from the first batter of the game onward, the lineup behind him tends to look considerably better.

The Dodgers also received another encouraging outing from Eric Lauer, who continues to strengthen his case as the latest entry in the organization's seemingly endless collection of pitching reclamation projects.

Lauer allowed two runs over 4 2/3 innings and attacked Arizona hitters from the outset.

"We knew that they like to swing and they hack," Lauer said. "If I can execute a good pitch, hopefully I can get some soft contact and easy outs."

For much of the night, that's exactly what happened.

The left-hander also noted an uptick in velocity, something he has been working toward since arriving in Los Angeles.

"The comfort level and trust I feel from the team is big for me," Lauer said. "I think that has given me more success."

That trust appears to be growing on both sides.

The Dodgers eventually needed their bullpen to navigate Arizona's seventh-inning surge, but the group held together long enough to hand the ball to Tanner Scott in the ninth.

A few days ago, Scott was absorbing criticism after a difficult inning against Philadelphia. Funny how quickly baseball conversations can change.

Scott recorded the save, working around a single and once again looking like the reliever Dave Roberts has repeatedly insisted he is.

The outing won't erase every concern fans may still carry from the past, but it offered another reminder that one bad inning doesn't automatically outweigh two months of quality work.

Mookie Betts supplied what ultimately became the winning RBI and later turned a critical double play with a runner bearing down on him.

"They pay me to make that play," Betts said afterward. "I better make it happen."

He did.

The Dodgers needed every bit of it because Arizona never stopped pushing.

That's what made Tuesday's game feel significant beyond the standings. The Dodgers won, but they also received another reminder that the road to another division title may be more complicated than simply keeping an eye on San Diego.

The Diamondbacks keep showing signs of a team that intends to stick around.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, keep showing signs of a team that knows how to answer.