The Dodgers are Getting HOT as they Pull Within Four Games in the Division

Dodgers 6 14 0

Phillies 1 6 0

WP- Fife (3-2)

LP- Kendrick (7-5)

It was a sweltering hot day in Los Angeles on Sunday. The final day of June saw the Dodgers defeat the Phillies and take three of four in the series as they continued their hot streak. Led by the equally emblazoned bats of Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers were able to use their running game as Yasiel Puig collected two stolen bases and Hanley also swiped a bag. Stephen Fife had another solid and impressive start. Even though it was hotter than Hades, the Dodgers didn’t let it faze them as they ended the month with a series win and are now only 4 games back of the D-backs who have lost three in a row.

*Puig’s four hits in the game which gives him 44 for the month and breaks Steve Sax‘s record for the Los Angeles Dodgers for most hits in

Yasiel Puig goes 4-for-4 and breaks a L.A. record with 44 hits in his first month. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

the first month as a rookie.

A.J. Ellis also collected three hits and a RBI, and Kemp went 2-for-2 with a RBI.

We also saw the MLB debut of flame thrower Jose Dominguez in the eighth inning who pitched a perfect inning and touched 101 mph on the radar gun.

Michael Young leads off the game with a bouncing ground-rule double over the right field wall. Stephen Fife strikes out Chase Utley with a big overhand breaking ball for the first out of the game. The obligatory wild pitch allows Young to move over to third with two outs. Ryan Howard, who is back in the Philadelphia lineup today, grounds out to short as the Phillies strand Young at third.

Kyle Kendrick promptly strikes out Skip Schumaker to open the home half of the first. Yasiel Puig singles to third as Young as the ball bounces off the glove of Young. Puig’s hits are always too hot to handle. With Adrian Gonzalez at the plate, Puig steals his third base of the season. Gonzalez strikes out swinging, and Hanley pops out to end the frame.

Ben Revere draws a two-out walk in the top of the second, but A.J. Ellis guns him down at second on an attempted steal. You don’t run on A.J.!

Kendrick retires the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the second.

Schumaker can’t stop a Carlos Ruiz single up the middle to start off the third for the Phillies. Kendrick successfully sacrifices Ruiz over to second with a bunt. Young lines out to Kemp for the second out. Fife strikes out Utley for the second time to end the inning!

The second Dodger hit of the game is a single down the first base line by none other than Stephen Fife with one out in the bottom of the third. With Puig at the plate, Ruiz picks off Fife at first to end the inning.

Stephen Fife pitched a career-high seven shutout innings as he picked up his second career victory. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Fife strikes out Ryan Howard on his way to an easy 1-2-3 inning in the fourth.

Puig singles off the glove of Michael Young again to lead-off the bottom of the fourth. Once again with Adrian Gonzalez at bat, Puig steals second. A bit of déjà vu there. Gonzo flies out. Hanley does it again as he singles to left field scoring Puig easily! Dodgers take a 1-0 lead, and Hanley has now hit in 12 straight. With Ethier at bat, Hanley steals second for his fourth SB of the season. There is a scary moment as Hanley seems to be in pain, but he’s ok and stays in the game. Hanley takes third on a groundout by Dre. Matt Kemp comes up with a line drive single to left, and Hanley scores the Dodgers second run of the inning. With A.J. at the plate, a balk is called on Kendrick  and Kemp moves over to second. A.J. singles on an infield hit to deep short and somehow he just beats out the throw by Rollins. Jerry Hairston Jr. gets in on the action, and the third baseman singles to right to pick up a RBI. The Dodgers put up three runs on the board as their running game is in full speed today.

In the fifth, Ben Revere singles up the middle. Skip Schumaker attempts to make the play, but Revere runs too fast. Ruiz grounds in to an unassisted double play as Gonzo snares the liner and steps on the first base bag to double up Revere.

Puig hits his first triple in the bottom of the fifth when he plops a ball along the line in right field where the Phillies can’t seem to get to it as they fluster around on the pop fly.  Puig takes one look at their ineptitude, and he motors to third! Gonzalez proceeds to double to left, and the Dodgers take a 4-0 lead as Puig crosses home plate.

Fife plunks Kendrick in the helmet to start the top of the sixth. Although the pitcher was knocked down, he seems fine and takes first base. Young hits in to a force play. Chase Utley grounds in to an inning ending double play.

A.J. Ellis singles with one out in the bottom of the sixth. JHair draws a walk. Fife pops out on a bunt attempt, and Schumaker flies out to end the inning.

Jimmy Rollins leads off the seventh with a single to center. Don Mattingly goes out to the mound to talk to Fife, and Fife proceeds to whiff Ryan Howard immediately thereafter. Then the Dodgers strike ’em out throw ’em out as Domonic Brown whiffs at the plate and A.J. cuts down Rollins at second! Once again, you DON’T run on A.J.!

Phillippe Aumont will come in out of the Philadelphia pen to relieve Kendrick, and Puig proceeds to collect his fourth hit of the game with a double to right field! He goes 4-for-4 in the game so far and is just short of a homerun for the cycle. Gonzalez strikes out again. With Ramirez at bat, Puig is caught stealing third. It’s ok, Puig. I love his aggressiveness.

Kyle Kendrick pitched 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 10 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk on 88 pitches.

Kyle Kendrick could not contain Yasiel Puig and the Dodgers as he collected the loss Sunday. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Fife pitched 7 shutout innings while allowing just 4 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk on 99 pitches.

In the eighth, Jose Dominguez will make his Major League debut. The flame thrower out of the Dominican Republic blows Delmon Young away on a 101 mph fastball! Wowza! Revere grounds out to short. Ruiz pops out to Schumaker, and Dominguez  pitches a perfect inning in his debut for Blue.

Jake Diekman will pitch the bottom of the eighth for the Phillies. Matt Kemp flares a single to right field, and he goes 2-for-4 in the game. A.J. Ellis doubles for his third hit of the day, and Matt Kemp brings in the fifth Dodger run! JHair draws a walk, his second. Scott Van Slyke comes up with a nice pinch-hit RBI single, and the Dodgers lead 6-0! The Phillies will go to the pen again, and Justin De Fratus will come in to face Mark Ellis. Ellis lines out to short, and here comes Puig. The runners advance to second and third on a wild pitch. Puig strikes out, and the crowd moans with sadness.

Chris Withrow will pitch the ninth for the Dodgers. Laynce Nix pops up. Withrow whiffs Young. Chase Utley singles. Utley advances to second in defensive indifference, and Rollins singles him home for Philadelphia’s first run of the game. There goes the shutout. Mattingly has to bring in Paco Rodriguez to get the final out. Ryan Howard strikes out, and the Dodgers win!

The Dodgers improve to 38-43 and are now just four games back of the D-backs in the division.

Tomorrow is an off day for the Boys in Blue as they travel to Colorado to begin an important road series. Tuesday will feature a showdown between Clayton Kershaw and Roy Oswalt at 5:40 p.m.