Down, but definitely not out is the matra after the Dodgers split a four game series with the Philadelphia Phillies. What was disappointing was that the Dodgers couldn’t take either of the close games.
On Thursday, the Dodgers scored all seven of their runs by the fourth inning and Derek Lowe looked sharp in the 7-2 win. Lowe improved to 4-3 and he gave up five hits and two walks in six shutout innings. Jon Broxton continued to throw well and he struck out two in the seventh. Matt Kemp and J.D. Drew both homered and drove in three runs and Russell Martin hit his second homerun of the season.
Friday marked Eric Gagne’s return. Jae Seo only lasted four innings, but it was Danys Baez who was crushed. He gave up five runs on three hits and two walks without getting a single batter out. Gagne pitched the ninth and walked one and struck out one. Matt Kemp hit his second homerun of the series and Willy Aybar drove in two runs.
Brad Penny really got the job done on Saturday. He threw six innings of one hit ball and he struck out seven. Broxton struck out three but walked three in 1 1/3 innings and Tim Hamaluck stuck out four. That makes 14 strikeouts for the Dodgers staff in this game. Kemp homered for the third straight game and J.D. Drew went two for five with two RBIs and two runs.
Sunday’s game was a back and forth affair that the Phillies finally broke things open in the eighth. Aaron Sele threw six solid innings before Joe Beimel gave up the go ahead run. Russ Martin homered and Kenny Lofton had three hits.
The Mets are coming to town so things don’t get much easier. As it stands, we’re 2 1/2 games back for the Diamondbacks so all we can do is keep on winning.
