LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 (UPI) — James Loney went 5-for-6 with three RBI and the Los Angeles Dodgers pounded out 23 hits Sunday in their 15-1 shellacking of Pittsburgh.

Jerry Sands collected four hits, including a three-run homer, and Juan Rivera went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored as the Dodgers won for the third time in a four-game series.

Matt Kemp also had a big day, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer and three runs scored to back Chad Billingsley (11-10), who allowed one run on four hits over five innings to get the win.

Pittsburgh’s Brad Lincoln (1-3) was rocked six runs on eight hits before exiting after only 1 2/3 innings.

Read More: Kevin Millwood (P – COL), Troy Tulowitzki (SS – COL), Chad Billingsley (P – LOS), Seth Smith (RF – COL), Carlos Gonzalez (LF – COL), Chris Nelson (SS – COL), Alan Johnson (P – COL), Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers

The curse of Alan Johnson has come to an end for the Colorado Rockies. For the last 17 Sundays, the Rockies have lost the day’s game. Johnson, making a spot start for his major league debut, pitched in that day’s victory. It hasn’t been a good few months for the Rockies on Sunday since then–until this Sunday.

The Rockies picked up the 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on the strength of a Kevin Millwood start and a couple of home runs. Millwood (1-1, 4.50 ERA) threw seven innings, allowing three runs on a solo homer and an RBI double to James Loney and a Matt Kemp RBI double. Millwood also came up with a catch on a line drive up the middle to help preserve the game.

The Rockies surprisingly scored their five runs on just three hits, a first in franchise history. Carlos Gonzalez hit his 21st home run in the bottom of the first for the 2-0 lead; however, Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (10-10, 4.12 ERA) shut down the Rockies for the next 11 batters before issuing a leadoff walk to Seth Smith in the bottom of the fifth.

Billingsley issued two more walks over the next two innings, but didn’t allow another hit until Seth Smith hit his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot to put the Rockies back in the lead, 4-3. Troy Tulowitzki added a sacrifice fly in the eighth for cushioning.

Chris Nelson came up with a nice defensive grab at third base in the eighth inning, preventing a game-tying RBI double.

The Rockies (60-68, 32-33 home) stay at Coors Field to start the week, hosting the Houston Astros for three games. Brett Myers and Jhoulys Chacin are the scheduled starters for Monday.

For more on the Rockies, head over to Purple Row. Visit True Blue LA and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Dodgers.

By Bob Grotz
Journal Register News Service

LOS ANGELES — Vance Worley has provided quite a pick-me-up for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. On Wednesday, they returned the favor for their rookie pitcher.

Ryan Howard and Hunter Pence homered as the Phillies overcame an early six-run deficit and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-8 Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

The Phillies won for the 12th time in 13 games and completed a 9-1 road trip. They improved baseball’s best record to 77-40 — Philadelphia is 37 games over .500 for the first time since 1977.

Down 6-0 after three innings, the Phillies rallied and eventually scored four times in the sixth for a 9-7 lead.

Howard’s 25th homer was a tiebreaking, two-run shot with two outs.

“Vance got off to kind of a rough start, but we were able to pick him up today,” Howard said.

“We just believe the game isn’t over until the 27th out is made,” he said. “They got ahead early, but we knew there was a lot of game left. So you just kind of chip away, get a run here and a run there, and the next thing you know you’re back in the game.”

Kyle Kendrick (7-5) pitched one inning of relief for the win.

The Dodgers took a 5-0 lead in the first. Worley walked three batters, including Casey Blake and Andre Ethier with one out, and Matt Kemp singled home a run to end a personal six-game RBI drought.

Juan Rivera then drove Worley’s 3-2 pitch to left-center for his first homer since connecting on the first pitch he saw with his new team on July 15 at Arizona. James Loney walked and came all the way around on a double by Dioner Navarro — who was tagged out in a rundown just before Jamey Carroll tripled. Continued…

The Dodgers increased their lead to 6-0 in the bottom half on Navarro’s sacrifice fly.

Worley gave up six runs and seven hits in four innings and struck out six, after coming in with an 8-1 record. The 23-year-old right-hander’s ERA jumped from 2.35 to 2.85 in his sixth start since he was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley for the fourth time this season.

“I threw well in the bullpen, but none if it really transferred over to that first inning,” Worley said. “I didn’t locate very well and got tagged. But that’s not the first time the guys have gotten me off the hook. When we’re down, these guys are going to want to come back and win. And they did it. It was exciting to watch after I got pulled out.”

Ryan Madson, the sixth Phillies pitcher, got three outs for his 22nd save in 23 attempts, giving up a run on a groundout by Juan Rivera before retiring pinch-hitter Rod Barajas on a flyball with the tying run at first. It was the first time in Madson’s career that he saved every game of a three-game series.

“It’s not very often you get three saves in a row in a series, so that’s definitely an impressive thing to do and a pretty cool thing for him to have,” said teammate Brad Lidge, who has 223 career saves and converted all 44 attempts in 2008, including three in the postseason. “He’s been throwing great all year, but it’s just a matter of opportunities in a situation like that. His focus in the ninth inning this year is as good as it’s ever been in any inning.”

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley couldn’t get out of the fifth inning after getting staked to the six-run lead, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. Three of the five runs he gave up in his 4 1-3 innings were unearned — two of them in the fifth, after a fielding error by Blake at third base on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder by Pence that allowed Shane Victorino to score from second base.

That was all for Billingsley, who slammed his glove on the bench after returning to the dugout. Hong-Chih Kuo came in and Raul Ibanez drove in Howard with a groundout, narrowing Philadelphia’s deficit to 6-5.

The Phillies began their comeback in the fourth after Billingsley walked Howard for the second time to open the inning. Pence hit his 14th homer of the season. Michael Martinez then reached on a two-base error by Loney at first base and scored on Worley’s single.

Loney hit an RBI double in the fifth off Kendrick to make it 7-5. But Chase Utley tied it with a two-run single in the sixth against Blake Hawksworth (2-3) and Howard drove the right-hander’s 2-1 pitch into the lower seats in the left-field corner, raising his NL-leading RBI total to 91.

“That team over there, they’re not going to quit,” Loney said. “They don’t care what the score is, who’s pitching or who’s hitting. They believe they can beat you in any game and they’re never out of it. I’m not happy when they beat us, but I do respect the way they play the game. They’re one of the best teams playing right now, if not the best.” Continued…

By Bob Grotz
Journal Register News Service

LOS ANGELES — Vance Worley has provided quite a pick-me-up for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. On Wednesday, they returned the favor for their rookie pitcher.

Ryan Howard and Hunter Pence homered as the Phillies overcame an early six-run deficit and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-8 Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

The Phillies won for the 12th time in 13 games and completed a 9-1 road trip. They improved baseball’s best record to 77-40 — Philadelphia is 37 games over .500 for the first time since 1977.

Down 6-0 after three innings, the Phillies rallied and eventually scored four times in the sixth for a 9-7 lead.

Howard’s 25th homer was a tiebreaking, two-run shot with two outs.

“Vance got off to kind of a rough start, but we were able to pick him up today,” Howard said.

“We just believe the game isn’t over until the 27th out is made,” he said. “They got ahead early, but we knew there was a lot of game left. So you just kind of chip away, get a run here and a run there, and the next thing you know you’re back in the game.”

Kyle Kendrick (7-5) pitched one inning of relief for the win.

The Dodgers took a 5-0 lead in the first. Worley walked three batters, including Casey Blake and Andre Ethier with one out, and Matt Kemp singled home a run to end a personal six-game RBI drought.

Juan Rivera then drove Worley’s 3-2 pitch to left-center for his first homer since connecting on the first pitch he saw with his new team on July 15 at Arizona. James Loney walked and came all the way around on a double by Dioner Navarro — who was tagged out in a rundown just before Jamey Carroll tripled.

The Dodgers increased their lead to 6-0 in the bottom half on Navarro’s sacrifice fly.

Worley gave up six runs and seven hits in four innings and struck out six, after coming in with an 8-1 record. The 23-year-old right-hander’s ERA jumped from 2.35 to 2.85 in his sixth start since he was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley for the fourth time this season.

“I threw well in the bullpen, but none if it really transferred over to that first inning,” Worley said. “I didn’t locate very well and got tagged. But that’s not the first time the guys have gotten me off the hook. When we’re down, these guys are going to want to come back and win. And they did it. It was exciting to watch after I got pulled out.”

Ryan Madson, the sixth Phillies pitcher, got three outs for his 22nd save in 23 attempts, giving up a run on a groundout by Juan Rivera before retiring pinch-hitter Rod Barajas on a flyball with the tying run at first. It was the first time in Madson’s career that he saved every game of a three-game series.

“It’s not very often you get three saves in a row in a series, so that’s definitely an impressive thing to do and a pretty cool thing for him to have,” said teammate Brad Lidge, who has 223 career saves and converted all 44 attempts in 2008, including three in the postseason. “He’s been throwing great all year, but it’s just a matter of opportunities in a situation like that. His focus in the ninth inning this year is as good as it’s ever been in any inning.”

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley couldn’t get out of the fifth inning after getting staked to the six-run lead, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. Three of the five runs he gave up in his 4 1-3 innings were unearned — two of them in the fifth, after a fielding error by Blake at third base on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder by Pence that allowed Shane Victorino to score from second base.

That was all for Billingsley, who slammed his glove on the bench after returning to the dugout. Hong-Chih Kuo came in and Raul Ibanez drove in Howard with a groundout, narrowing Philadelphia’s deficit to 6-5.

The Phillies began their comeback in the fourth after Billingsley walked Howard for the second time to open the inning. Pence hit his 14th homer of the season. Michael Martinez then reached on a two-base error by Loney at first base and scored on Worley’s single.

Loney hit an RBI double in the fifth off Kendrick to make it 7-5. But Chase Utley tied it with a two-run single in the sixth against Blake Hawksworth (2-3) and Howard drove the right-hander’s 2-1 pitch into the lower seats in the left-field corner, raising his NL-leading RBI total to 91.

“That team over there, they’re not going to quit,” Loney said. “They don’t care what the score is, who’s pitching or who’s hitting. They believe they can beat you in any game and they’re never out of it. I’m not happy when they beat us, but I do respect the way they play the game. They’re one of the best teams playing right now, if not the best.”

NOTES

Rivera’s homer ended a string of 21 singles by the Dodgers against Philadelphia pitchers without an extra-base hit since Kemp’s two-run homer off reliever Michael Stutes on July 7. … Worley played his college ball about 29 miles south of Dodger Stadium at Long Beach State. He has given up a home run in each of his last four starts, after allowing just one over his seven previous outings for the Phillies this season. … The Dodgers didn’t score a first-inning run in their previous eight home games — and hadn’t scored more than three in the first inning in any of their 61 previous games at Chavez Ravine this season. … Billingsley is 0-4 with a 5.72 ERA in his last six starts against the Phillies, including losses in Games 2 and 5 of the 2008 NL championship series. … Utley tied Tony Taylor’s franchise record of 1,003 games by a second baseman.

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When: 6:40 p.m. | Where: Chase Field
Projected starters: RHP Josh Collmenter (6-6, 3.10) vs. Dodgers RHP Chad Billingsley (9-9, 4.15)
TV: FSAZ | Radio: KTAR-AM (620), KSUN-AM (1400)

LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Los Angeles Dodgers waved goodbye to shortstop Rafael
Furcal(notes), who appeared to be on his way to St. Louis after five-plus seasons in
Los Angeles. And Furcal’s sudden departure cast an even larger pall in the
clubhouse following their loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Justin Upton(notes) greeted Matt Guerrier(notes) with a go-ahead, three-run double in the
sixth inning and Arizona climbed within three games of the NL West lead with a
6-4 victory over the Dodgers on Saturday night.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti were
measuring their words carefully before the game when asked about the status of
Furcal’s impending trade to the Cardinals.

The two-time All-Star shortstop was held out of the lineup Saturday. He
participated in batting practice and pregame drills, but he was not in the
dugout in the ninth inning when Mattingly used Eugenio Velez(notes) to hit for reliever
Josh Lindblom(notes).

Furcal cleaned out his locker, but the team made no formal announcement
after the game that he was traded.

“Raffy’s got a lot of friends here, so we’re sad to see him go and we’re
going to miss him,” second baseman Aaron Miles(notes) said. “He’s been a big part of
this team. It’s been tough for him to get on the field this year, but he’s going
to a great team and a great organization. It’s a real good opportunity for him
and I wish him the best.”

Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley(notes) (9-9) was charged with six runs and
seven hits over 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four and tied a season high with
five walks. One of them was to No. 8 hitter Gerardo Parra(notes) with the bases loaded
and none out in the sixth. Xavier Nady(notes) batted for Micah Owings(notes) (5-0) and hit a
sacrifice fly, reducing the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3.

“Billingsley was pounding the zone earlier, but he just wasn’t locating in
the sixth and we took advantage of it,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.
“That’s what you have to do. You have to recognize it and just lay off the
pitches that are just marginally off the plate. That’s what we did.”

Another walk to Kelly Johnson(notes) on Billingsley’s 103rd and final pitch loaded
the bases again. Upton then hit a drive to center that skidded on the wet grass
and got past Matt Kemp(notes), clearing the bases. The three RBIs increased Upton’s
team-high total to 65, just four fewer than he had last season in 133 games.

Kemp, who hit a two-run drive in the third for his 26th homer of the season,
came up in the seventh representing the potential tying run. But Bryan Shaw(notes)
struck him out with a runner at third. J.J. Putz(notes), the sixth Arizona pitcher,
pitched a hitless ninth for his 23rd save in 27 attempts.

The Diamondbacks also loaded the bases with none out in the second, but all
they could get out of it was a sacrifice fly from Willie Bloomquist(notes). Right
fielder Andre Ethier(notes) prevented two more runs when he robbed Johnson of extra
bases with a lunging catch while going full speed toward the warning track.

The Dodgers grabbed a 3-1 lead in the third. Casey Blake(notes), in his first game
off the disabled list, hit a sacrifice fly one pitch after a one-out triple by
Tony Gwynn Jr.(notes) Ethier singled with two outs and Kemp deposited Owings’ 2-1 pitch
into the pavilion seats in left-center, raising his NL-leading RBI total to 82.

Jamey Carroll’s(notes) line drive up the middle through a drawn-in infield
increased the margin to 4-1 in the fourth.

NOTES: RHP Hiroki Kuroda(notes) informed Colletti that he decided not to waive the
no-trade clause in his contract. He was the subject of considerable trade
speculation prior to Sunday’s non-waiver trade deadline. “In my heart of
hearts, knowing him like I know him, I’m not surprised that is the way he
felt,” Colletti said. “I would have been more surprised if he had said, ‘OK,
I’ll go somewhere else.’ In a way, it’s refreshing. He made a commitment to sign
here, and he wants to fulfill that commitment. … Blake missed the Dodgers’
previous 21 games because of a cervical strain. The Dodgers placed 3B Juan Uribe(notes)
on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 24, because of a groin strain.

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Read More: diamondbacks dodgers, arizona la, diamondbacks series, Joe Saunders (P – ARI), Micah Owings (P – ARI), Ted Lilly (P – LOS), Chad Billingsley (P – LOS), Justin Upton (RF – ARI), Josh Collmenter (P – ARI), Rubby De La Rosa (P – LOS), San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers