“I know enough about this game to try to minimize the rollercoaster,” Walker said. “I appreciate the good, but this game is difficult every day, so I try to have realistic expectations.”

Walker hit five home runs in the three-game series. He has hit 22 home runs this season, including nine against the Dodgers.

“I feel that maybe a little more subdued effort at the plate helps to make better decisions,” he said.

On Wednesday night, Walker hit two home runs and missed the cycle by a triple in a 12-4 win.

“Christian is a self-made man,” said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo. “He does all the little things to make sure his game is at its peak. He deserves what he gets.”

After hitting two home runs on Thursday, Walker issued his first intentional walk of the Series with two outs in the fifth inning. He was replaced on a broken-bat groundout in the seventh inning and issued a four-pitch walk to load the bases in the ninth inning.

“He's been killing us the last few weeks – his whole career,” Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said.

The 33-year-old first baseman hails from the same hometown as the late Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, Norristown, Pennsylvania. Former Dodgers star Mike Piazza also hails from the area.

“The baseball community in this area is pretty small, obviously with Lasorda being a big name,” Walker said. “It's an honor to even be around those guys in the same conversation.”

He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 49th round in 2009, but did not sign and instead played for the University of South Carolina, where he helped the Gamecocks win the 2010 and 2011 College World Series.

Recalling who drafted him and what he's been doing with the Dodgers lately, Walker said, “Kind of a fun full-circle thing.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb