Phoenix, AZ (Best E Casino) - Derek Lowe threw six shutout innings as
Los Angeles Dodgers took an 8-1 victory over the
Arizona Diamondbacks to wrap up a three-game set at Chase Field.
Lowe (11-11) gave up just four hits and one walk while striking out two for the Dodgers, who have won two straight and now trail Arizona by 2 1/2 games for first place in the NL West. Casey Blake hit a three-run home run in the win.
"It's a funny game and I am glad we battled them because the thing is you don't anticipate and have to expect to beat pitchers like that," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre. "The thing you need to do is stay with him. We got his pitch count up early and you could see early on it looked like he was having trouble locating his stuff and we took advantage."
Brandon Webb (19-6) failed for the second straight time in attempting to become the first 20-game winner in the NL as he was shelled for eight runs -- six earned -- on eight hits in just 3 1/3 innings of work for Arizona, which has lost six of its last seven games. Mark Reynolds' solo home run provided the only offense for the team.
Lowe got all the run support he needed in the first inning. With one out, Andre Ethier smacked a pitch over the wall in right field for his 18th home run of the season. After Manny Ramirez walked and James Loney singled, Matt Kemp hit into a fielder's choice that saw Loney forced out at second. Blake followed with a blast to center field for a 4-0 lead.
"I am just trying to put a good swing on it," said Blake. "I think the wind was blowing pretty good. I was just looking for something over the plate. I didn't see where the pitch was, I think it was down over the middle, but I just wanted to hit the ball hard somewhere."
Los Angeles manufactured a run in the third as Kemp led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a Blake groundout and came home courtesy of a Blake DeWitt sacrifice fly.
In the fourth, the Dodgers tacked on three more runs. Russell Martin led off with a single, stole second and scored on a double from Ethier. Ramirez was then issued an intentional walk and, after Loney struck out, the runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Kemp then punched a groundball that Reynolds misplayed, allowing both runners to come home for an 8-0 lead.
Lowe, meanwhile, cruised through the first five innings as he only allowed a pair of singles and a walk and didn't allow a runner further than second base.
He got into a bit of trouble in the sixth as the Diamondbacks had runners at first and second on back-to-back singles with two outs, but he got Conor Jackson to hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Scott Elbert relieved Lowe to start the seventh and gave up a one-out, solo home run to Reynolds to blow the shutout.
Cory Wade worked a 1-2-3 eighth while Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in the ninth to finish the game.
Game Notes
In his last five starts Lowe is 3-1. In 16 career starts against Arizona he is 5-7...Arizona hosts St. Louis for three games starting on Monday...Los Angeles returns home after going a miserable 2-8 on a 10-game home trip to face San Diego for three games starting on Monday...Arizona has won eight of the 15 games against Los Angeles this season...Webb fell to 10-4 in 17 career starts against LA...Before the game, Arizona acquired veteran infielder David Eckstein from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league pitcher Chad Beck...After the game, the Dodgers said second baseman Jeff Kent will undergo surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee on Tuesday and that he might be available before the end of the season. The club will place Kent on the 15-day disabled list and recall infielder Chin-lung Hu from Triple-A Las Vegas.
