Thursday's matinee in Philadelphia featured two of the NL's top starting pitchers, with the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley facing the Phillies' Cole Hamels. Both starters went seven strong, but it was the Russell Martin's bat that broke through in the 10th inning to break a three-all tie and give l.A. it's second straight win in Philadelphia, by a final of 5-3.
Billingsley was more than solid, and allowed just one run and three hits while striking out nine. He left the game with a 2-1 lead, and Casey Blake even got him an insurance run in the top of the ninth when he drove in Matt Kemp with a sacrifice fly. But the wheels came off a bit for closer Jonathan Broxton in the bottom of the ninth, which cost Billingsley his W.
With two outs and L.A. still holding onto a 3-1 lead, Broxton struck out the first two batters he faced. But then he gave up a single, a walk, and then a two-run double to Carlos Ruiz that sent the game into extra innings.
L.A. got its two-out revenge in the top of the 10th, when Martin doubled home Andre Ethier for the eventual game-winning run. The Dodgers tacked on one more thanks to Matt Kemp cashing in Martin with a double of his own.
Broxton got the win and moved to 4-0, but did so only after blowing a save for the second time this season.
Last year's NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels pitched well, but just not quite as well as Billingsley. Hamels struck out nine batters too, but allowed two runs on seven hits, one of which was a solo home run by James Loney in the top of the seventh that put L.A. ahead 2-1 at the time.
