Los Angeles, CA - Andre Ethier hit a three-run home run and Luis Gonzalez’s solo blast in the sixth inning gave Los Angeles the lead for good, as the Dodgers held on to beat Philadelphia, 5-4, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Wilson Betemit went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Juan Pierre singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 11-games for the Dodgers, who have won six of seven.
Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley pitched five unspectacular innings. The right-hander gave up seven hits and four runs with four strikeouts and four walks.
The Dodgers’ bullpen picked up the slack for Billingsley with four shutout innings. Rudy Seanez (6-1) pitched a scoreless sixth inning to pick up the win and Takashi Saito working around trouble in the ninth to record his career- high 25th save of the season.
Ryan Howard homered for the third time in his last two games, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored for the Phillies, who have dropped three of their last four.
Rookie Kyle Kendrick (4-1) suffered the first loss of his young career after giving up five runs on seven hits through 5 1/3 innings.
With the score knotted at 4-4 in the sixth, Gonzalez led off the inning and connected on a 2-1 offering from Kendrick for his 11th home run of the year to give LA the lead.
“I tried to be more aggressive in my first two at-bats, but it didn’t work,” said Gonzalez. “I changed my approach in my third at-bat and worked the count. I got a breaking ball up. As bad as yesterday was (a 15-3 loss), we still won the series.”
Greg Dobbs hit a one-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth and pinch-runner Michael Bourn reached second on a miscommunication between Saito and Dodgers catcher Russell Martin.
However, Saito retired both Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino to preserve the win.
Rollins, Victorino and Chase Utley — Philadelphia’s 1-2-3 hitters — combined to go 0-for-13.
LA grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on three straight singles by Rafael Furcal, Pierre and Martin.
Howard led off the second with his 25th home run of the season to tie the game. Pat Burrell then doubled with one out and eventually scored on Carlos Ruiz’s double to left field to give Philadelphia a 2-1 lead.
Howard walked with two outs in the third and scored on Aaron Rowand’s double to make it 3-1.
Ethier answered with a three-run blast in the fourth to put the Dodgers back in front. Betemit and James Loney hit back-to-back one-out singles before Ethier slammed a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center field.
“After getting ahead of me, (Kendrick) left a fastball over the plate,” said Ethier. “I’m just trying to earn a job here and help the team to win.”
The Phils tied it in the fifth. Howard singled with two outs, Rowand walked and Burrell’s single to center made it 4-4.
Game Notes
Before the game, the Dodgers recalled veteran relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned infielder Tony Abreu to the same club…Joe Beimel and Jonathan Broxton each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for LA.
