Dodgers Fall, 7-2, To Phillies As Billingsley Wins In Return To Dodger Stadium
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Dodgers came into Tuesday five games ahead of the San Francisco Giants for the NL West division lead. Brett Anderson would take the hill for the Dodgers against former Dodger Chad Billingsley, who made his fifth start of the year for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Billingsley had an impressive 41-27 record at Dodger Stadium coming into the game, as he pitched for the Dodgers from 2006-2013 and would face his former team for the first time Tuesday night.
The Phillies bothered Dodgers starter Brett Anderson early, as the Phillies had the bases loaded in the first inning.
However, they could only muster one run off of an RBI single from Freddy Galvis that was deflected off of Anderson's glove.
After keeping the Phillies at bay in the second inning, Anderson would surrender a two-run double to Jeff Francoeur that scored Darin Ruf and Maikel Franco, making the Phillies lead 3-0.
In the same inning, Dominoc Brown had an RBI groundout that scored Francoeur to make it a 4-0 game.
The Dodgers had only four hits through five innings, as former Billingsley seemed to have the Dodgers number early. Billingsley needed just 67 pitches to get through five scoreless innings.
Brett Anderson would only go five innings, however, giving up four runs and six hits while striking out five. Enrique Hernandez struck out for Anderson in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he was relieved by Juan Nicasio in the sixth inning.
Nicasio gave up two singles to Cameron Rupp and Dominic Brown to start the inning, putting runners on first and third base.
He would walk lead-off hitter Cesar Hernandez to load the bases, and then surrender a two-run single to Ben Revere, stretching the lead to 6-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers would finally get on the scoreboard with a two-run home run off the bat of Yasmani Grandal. After being selected to his first All-Star Game, Yasmani Grandal hit his 14th home run of the year, plating Adrian Gonzalez and cutting the lead to 6-2.
In the top of the seventh inning, Juan Nicasio remained in the game and surrendered his first home run of the year to Jeff Francoeur, who belted his sixth homer of the year and third RBI of the game. Francoeurs' solo home run made the score 7-2.
Chad Billingsley's night would end after six innings. The former Dodger gave up six hits and two earned runs as he left the game in line for the win. Billingsley threw 83 pitches in his return to Dodger Stadium and struck out three batters.
Luis Garcia came into the game for the Phillies in the bottom of the seventh inning, retiring the side in order by getting Andre Ethier to strike out, Jimmy Rollins and Alberto Callaspo, who pinch hit for Nicasio, to ground out to end the inning.
Ian Thomas, who was called up Tuesday as Eric Surkamp was sent back down to AAA Oklahoma City, entered the game for the Dodgers in the top of the eighth inning.
Thomas had only one previous appearance before Tuesday, during which he went three innings in relief, but gave up four runs and suffered the loss.
The left-handed pitcher struck out the first batter he faced, induced a ground out, walked Ben Revere and then got rookie Maikel Franco to fly out to Joc Pederson to end the inning.
Phillies setup man Ken Giles would enter to pitch the bottom of the eighth for the Phillies to get some work in, as the 24-year-old last pitched on Sunday. Giles showcased a 2.00 ERA coming into the game, in 36 innings pitched.
Joc Pederson was hit by a pitch to lead-off the eighth inning for the Dodgers but was followed by Howie Kendrick and Justin Turner strikeouts. Giles got Adrian Gonzales to ground out to shortstop for the final out of the inning.
Ian Thomas remained in the game for the Dodgers, and he pitched another scoreless inning in the top of the ninth inning.
All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon entered the game for the Phillies in the bottom of the ninth inning. Like Giles, Papelbon last pitched Sunday and entered the 7-2 game in a non-save situation. Papelbon has 14 saves on the year with a 1.65 ERA and will be the lone Phillies representative at the All-Star game.
Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth inning that would close the game out for the Phillies. The Dodgers fell 7-2 as Brett Anderson was saddled with the loss and Chad Billingsley picked up his first win of the 2015 season, and his first win since 2013.
Yasmani Grandal now leads all major league catchers with 14 home runs after his home run off Billingsley.
The Giants shutout the Mets, 3-0, Tuesday night, narrowing the gap between them and the first place Dodgers to four games.
The Dodgers continue their series against the Phillies Wednesday night, as All-Star hopeful Clayton Kershaw (5-6) takes the mound for the Dodgers trying to win his sixth game of the year yet again.
Fans can still vote Kershaw into the 2015 All-Star Game, as he is one of the five nominees in the National League for MLB's Final Vote.
The Phillies will send Adam Morgan to the mound. He is 1-1 this season in two starts, with a 2.13 ERA. In his last outing, Morgan pitched seven innings and gave up two earned runs in a loss to the Braves.
