Billingsley's strong outing lifts Dodgers over Phillies
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| Regular Season Series |
| Los Angeles leads 4-2 (as of Thu 8/23) |
| Mon 7/16 |
@LA 10, PHI 3 |
Recap |
| Tue 7/17 |
PHI 15, @LA 3 |
Recap |
| Wed 7/18 |
@LA 5, PHI 4 |
Recap |
| Tue 8/21 |
@PHI 5, LA 4 |
Recap |
| Wed 8/22 |
LA 15, @PHI 3 |
Recap |
| >Thu 8/23 |
LA 5, @PHI 2 |
Box Score |
| · Complete Schedule: Phillies | Dodgers |
| Scoring Summary |
| LAD | PHI |
 | 5th | R Furcal doubled to deep right center, C Billingsley scored, R Furcal to third advancing on throw. | 1 | 0 |
 | 6th | P Burrell doubled to deep center, S Victorino scored. | 1 | 1 |
 | 7th | J Pierre singled to center, R Martinez scored. | 2 | 1 |
 | 8th | J Kent singled to left, M Kemp scored. | 3 | 1 |
 | 8th | R Martinez singled to left, J Loney and R Martin scored, R Martinez to second advancing on throw. | 5 | 1 |
 | 8th | T Iguchi homered to right. | 5 | 2 |
| · View complete Play-By-Play |
| Game Information |
| Stadium | Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA |
| Attendance | 37,875 (86.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:54 |
| Weather | 72 degrees, cloudy |
| Wind | 0 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Scott Barry, First Base - Paul Schrieber, Second Base - Fieldin Culbreth, Third Base - Marty Foster |
| A CLOSER LOOK |
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• Summary: Chad Billingsley struck out seven in seven sharp innings to earn his first victory in a month and the Dodgers beat the Phillies 5-2 on Thursday.
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| Billingsley |
• Hero: Billingsley (8-4) allowed one run and four hits, winning for the first time since he beat Houston on July 23. The 22-year-old right-hander was a hard-luck loser in that span. He lost consecutive games 1-0 and was 0-4 with a no-decision in five starts.
• Figure this: Tadahito Iguchi's solo homer in the eighth off L.A.'s Jonathan Broxton was the first homer allowed by the Dodgers pitcher in 96 2/3 innings. That was the longest streak in team history and fifth-longest in the majors since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
• Quotable: "A week ago, we looked like a dead team when we weren't scoring runs. Now it looks like a different team." -- Dodgers manager Grady Little
-- ESPN.com news services
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Dodgers 5, Phillies 2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) --
Chad Billingsley threw strikes, got important outs and put his team in position to win.
For a change, it was enough.
Billingsley struck out seven in seven sharp innings to earn his first victory in a month and the
Los Angeles Dodgers beat the
Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 Thursday.
Billingsley (8-4) allowed one run and four hits, winning for the first time since he beat Houston on July 23. The 22-year-old right-hander was a hard-luck loser in that span. He lost consecutive games 1-0 and was 0-4 with a no-decision in five starts.
"My command was good," Billingsley said. "I was putting guys away when I needed to."
Juan Pierre drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop single in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers scored three insurance runs off struggling reliever
Tom Gordon in the eighth to win for the sixth time in eight games.
"A week ago, we looked like a dead team when we weren't scoring runs," manager Grady Little said. "Now it looks like a different team."
Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth for his 34th save in 37 chances.
Los Angeles, which was 2 1/2 games behind wild-card leading San Diego before Thursday, took two of three in Philadelphia.
The injury-depleted Phillies entered five games behind the NL East-leading
New York Mets and one behind the Padres.
"In order for us to be a good team, we need to get our regular players back and our pitching has to be consistent," manager Charlie Manuel said.
Ramon Martinez singled leading off the seventh against
J.C. Romero (0-2). He went to second on Billingsley's sacrifice, advanced to third on
Rafael Furcal's groundout and scored on Pierre's soft fly to center.
"The at-bat before you hit a line drive right at them and then you bloop one over their heads," Pierre said. "I just found the right spot."
Furcal's RBI double in the fifth put the Dodgers ahead 1-0, but
Pat Burrell doubled in a run with two outs in the sixth to tie it.
Gordon, the Phillies' former closer, allowed three runs and didn't record an out in the eighth.
Jeff Kent singled in a run and Martinez had a two-run single with two outs to make it 5-1.
"Flash wasn't get his breaking ball over and his command wasn't good. That's what did him in," Manuel said.
Tadahito Iguchi hit a solo homer in the eighth off
Jonathan Broxton. It was the first homer allowed by Broxton in 96 2/3 innings. That was the longest streak in team history and fifth-longest in the majors since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
Phillies starter
Fabio Castro overcame control problems and allowed just one run in five innings. The 22-year-old left-hander walked six, gave up two hits and pitched out of trouble most of the game.
Castro became the 12th pitcher to start for Philadelphia this season and fourth to make his first career start. He was recalled from Triple-A Ottawa on Monday to replace injured reliever
Mike Zagurski and moved into the rotation when ace
Cole Hamels landed on the disabled list.
After the game, Castro returned to Ottawa and reliever
Brian Sanches was called up.
Castro's wildness finally cost him in the fifth when he walked the opposing pitcher with one out. Billingsley scored on Furcal's double to right-center.
Pinch-hitter
Shane Victorino walked to start the bottom of the sixth, stole second and scored on Burrell's shot off the center-field wall with two outs.
Castro retired the side in the first, but walked the bases loaded in the second inning. Billingsley then worked a full count after falling behind 0-2, but swung and missed at a pitch out of the strike zone to bail out the young lefty.
Game notes Castro put down a perfect bunt in the third inning for his first career sacrifice. ... The four pitchers to make their first career start with the Phillies this season -- Castro,
J.A. Happ,
Zack Segovia and
Kyle Kendrick -- combined were 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA in that outing. ... Pierre's RBI single extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He was thrown out trying to steal second base by catcher
Carlos Ruiz, ending a career-best streak of 18 straight successful attempts.