Bordow: Somebody must win when 2 bad teams play

 OK, let’s get the obvious out of the way first. This Diamondbacks-Dodgers series is compelling only because both teams absolutely refuse to win the National League West. It’s as if they’re having a contest to see who can be the biggest loser.

Diamondbacks defeat slumping Dodgers 9-3

Read Scott Bordow's blog

(At this point, it’s a tie.)

But there is a division title at stake, so what happens at Chase Field this weekend is significant.

Just don’t expect to see a lot of great baseball.

Take Arizona’s 9-3 victory Friday.

Diamondbacks starter Doug Davis failed to cover a routine grounder to first in the fifth inning, leading to two Dodgers runs.

Los Angeles shortstop Nomar Garciaparra threw away an Augie Ojeda ground ball in the sixth inning, aiding and abetting three Arizona runs.

And, of course, no Diamondbacks game is complete without disaster relief from the bullpen.

Only this time, it was the Dodgers’ relievers who couldn’t get anyone out, giving up five earned runs in three innings.

Beat L.A.?

The Dodgers are doing that just fine themselves, thank you.

“I thought it was artistic,” Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. “That’s a nice win.”

Melvin doesn’t need to apologize. The way Arizona has been going, any win is a thing of beauty.

But where is the justice in this world?

Randy Johnson has lost four games he left with a lead, and Davis got the win Friday even though he threw twice as many balls (16) as strikes (eight) in the first inning and allowed eight hits and three walks in five innings of work.

To Davis’ credit, however, he may have decided the game’s outcome when he got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning without allowing any runs.

If L.A. scores first, who knows how Arizona, its head already down, would have responded.

“When two teams are playing bad, a lot of times the first team that scores gets an emotional lift,” Melvin said. “When they didn’t come through with a big hit with runners on, it can deflate you a little bit.”

This was precisely the tonic Arizona needed. Getting swept in San Diego left a bitter aftertaste, so much so that Melvin was still shaking his head in dismay before Friday’s game.

“Losing in the fashion we did, with the guys we had on the mound, that one stung,” he said. “We’re lucky the Dodgers have lost some games.”

Some?

Los Angeles has dropped eight straight, 10 of its last 11 and, look out below, the Colorado Rockies are gaining ground fast in third place.

Meanwhile, Arizona suddenly has a healthy 4 1/2-game lead — its largest margin since June 15 — and with Dan Haren and Brandon Webb starting the next two games, the Diamondbacks have a good chance to put away the Dodgers once and for all.

“This was big, no doubt about it,” center fielder Chris Young said. “We’re both trying to get out of a funk.”

Sure, it’s like watching the two finalists in an ugly dog contest.

But as long as the winner gets a treat, who cares?