Dodgers Lose on Pair of Philadelphia Homeruns as they Drop Third in a Row

Dodgers 2 7 1

Phillies 3 7 1

WP- Blanton (8-8)

LP- Eovaldi (1-6)

S- Papelbon (20)

HR- Rollins (9), Howard (1)

Even though the Phillies were 12 games under .500 before tonight’s game, it’s the Dodgers who are playing as if they are in last place. Nathan Eovaldi served up two homeruns, and the Dodger offense could only muster a run off a Matt Kemp double play and a wild pitch from Blanton. The Phillies scored one run in the second, third, and fourth inning. The Dodgers scratched and bit to score a run in the sixth and one in the seventh, but they were shut down thereafter. The only bright spots was from the bullpen. Shawn Tolleson pitched two perfect innings, Scott Elbert pitched a sketchy yet scoreless eighth, and Ronald Belisario struck out the side in the ninth.

The first inning begins right where the Dodgers left off yesterday, with an error. The Dodgers compiled five bumbles yesterday. Luis Cruz loses the ball in the act of throwing on a grounder by Shane Victorino who reaches safely on the E-6. Chase Utley grounds into a double play to end the inning.

Joe Blanton sends the Dodgers down in order in the bottom of the first.

Ryan Howard leads off the second inning for the Phillies, and it’s the first look we have had of him this season since coming off of the disabled list. Howard hits a deep fly ball which is caught by Juan Rivera right at the wall. Carlos Ruiz hits a ball to the same deep area of left field, but this time the ball bounces off the stands for a double. Eovaldi whiffs Hunter Pence with a good fastball for the second out. Former Dodger Juan Pierre singles home Ruiz, and the Phils take a 1-0 lead. Placido Polanco hits into a force out to end the frame.

Andre Ethier strikes out to begin the bottom of the second. Rivera grounds out, and Loney hits a little flare as the Dodgers go down 1-2-3 again.

Jimmy Rollins hits his ninth homerun of the year in the third, and the Phillies are up 2-0. Victorino follows with a single up the middle with one out. Chase Utley grounds out to first, and the Dodgers botch a rundown with Victorino between first and second to screw up the double play. Vin Scully commented on how amazed he is how bad Major Leaguers are at performing a successful rundown. Victorino may have scurried out of that pickle, but he is hung out to dry by A.J. Ellis in between second and third on a stolen base attempt!

In the bottom half of the third, A.J. Ellis singles with one out. Nathan Eovaldi is unable to execute the bunt, and he strikes out. Jerry Hairston hits a screaming line drive right at Howard, and Ellis is stranded.

Ryan Howard leads off the fourth inning with a solo homerun. That’s his first homerun of the season, and the third run of the night for the Phillies. Eovaldi walks Ruiz and Pence consecutively. Pierre flies out to deep right field where Andre Ethier reaches up to make a wonderful catch to save two runs. Polanco grounds into a double play, and the Dodgers contain the damage to one run.

Mark Ellis singles to start off the bottom of the fourth inning. Matt Kemp flies out. Ethier singles, and Ellis advances to third. Rivera hits into a

fielder’s choice as Ruiz tags out Ellis between third and home way in foul territory. Mattingly tries to argue on the play to no avail. The Dodgers have runners at first and second with two outs. James Loney strikes out looking for the final out.

Eovaldi strikes out both Blanton and Rollins in the fifth, but then pesky Victorino triples to left field. Utley lines out to Loney to strand the Flyin’ Hawaiian.

The Dodgers go down quickly in order in their half of the fifth.

Nathan Eovaldi is done for the night. He pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 hits (2 HRs), 3 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts on 87 pitches.

Shawn Tolleson comes into pitch the sixth inning for the Dodgers. The kid strikes out big Ryan Howard for the first out. Ruiz pops out. Shawn strikes out Pence as he sends Philadelphia down in order.

Hairston leads off the bottom of the sixth with a double down the left field line. Mark Ellis reaches on an error by Howard as he misses the catch from Utley on the grounder. At first the umpire called him out, but Mattingly ran out to argue. The umpires convened, and they did the right thing by changing the call to safe. Howard clearly never had possession of the ball before he dropped it. Hairston takes third on the play. Kemp hits into a double play, but Hairston scores. 3-1 Phils. Dre flies out.

Tolleson is back for his second inning in the seventh. He’s looking good as he sends the Phils down in order again. He struck out 3 batters in his 2 innings of work.

Juan Rivera opens the bottom of the seventh with a single followed by another single by Loney. Cruz hits into a force, and Loney is out at second. A.J. Ellis strikes out. With Bobby Abreu at the plate, Rivera scores on a wild pitch by Blanton, 3-2.

Scott Elbert gets the ball in the eighth. Rollins draws a lead-off walk. Victorino singles. The first out of the inning comes on a pop up by Utley. Miraculously Ryan Howard hits into an inning-ending double play!

The Dodgers go down in order in the eighth. Kemp strikes out, and he ends up going 0-for-4 on the night.

Ronald Belisario comes in for the ninth inning. Beli blows away Ruiz, Pence, and Mayberry. He strikes out the side on just 11 pitches. Wow!

Joe Blanton pitched 8 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 runs, no walks, and 7 strikeouts on 110 pitches.

The Dodgers are down to their final three outs. Jonathan Papelbon will comes into close it out. Andre Ethier strikes out. Rivera singles, and Tony Gwynn Jr. comes into pinch-run. Loney hits his signature groundout, and Gwynn moves over to second since he was going. Otherwise that would have been a game-ending double play. Fittingly Adam Kennedy‘s little pop fly ends it.

The Dodgers drop to 48-43 on the year. The Giants were idle tonight, so the Dodgers now sit 2 games back while the D-backs are 5 1/2 back of San Francisco. The Dodgers are now 6-18 in their last 24 games.

Tomorrow’s 7:10 pm game will feature the return of Roy Halladay for the Phillies. It’s still unknown whether Chad Billingsley will start or if Stephen Fife or someone else will get the spot start.