Grienke Implodes, Impresses With Bat as Dodgers Beat Phillies 10-8

When you fall off the horse, you have to get back on.

Zack Greinke, easily the National League's leader in the Cy Young Award race was roughed up in the first inning, but battled back with his arm and his bat.

Greinke (11-2) went 3-for-3 with a home run, after the worst first inning he's had in three years and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 10-8 in the rubber match of the series on Thursday.

After a leadoff dribbler, Greinke sailed the ball over Gonzalez's head at first and the inning snowballed from there as the Phillies brought five runs across before Greinke could record a single out.

Greinke's fastball command was erratic in the first, but he got control of it from there, shutting down the next 18 of 21 batters before exiting the game in the seventh. In total, Greinke allowed six runs on six hits in six innings, but it was his bat that had everyone buzzing after the game.

"I was mad after the first inning so I had motivation to get more hits," Greinke told the media.

Greinke singled up the middle to leadoff the second inning, hit the fifth home run of his career in the third inning, a solo shot to left center. Greinke reached base on an infield single in the sixth inning for his third and final hit of the game.

"He's a good hitter. He has good mechanics," Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly said.

Greinke's six runs allowed were more than the entire total of his last nine starts. Greinke recorded the third longest scoreless streak in Dodgers history of 45.2 innings over that span, and has not allowed six runs in a game since 2012 when he was with the Angels.

In one day, Greinke's ERA went from 1.41. to 1.71, but his batting average soared from .170 to .220.

Dominic Brown hit a three-run homer off Greinke in the first inning, but it was not enough as the Dodgers answered in the top half of the second thanks to a three-run blast by Adrian Gonzalez.

David Buchanan (2-6) started for the Phillies and surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in just four innings, giving Philadelphia the loss and their first series defeat since the All-Star break.

"To score that many runs off Greinke and not win has to hurt," Buchanan said. "I just didn't make quality pitches. I have to work on a few things and get ready for the next start."

Gonzalez belted his 22nd home run of the season, but saved Dodgers' closer Kenley Jansen with some impressive glove work in the bottom of the ninth.

With two on and one out, Jansen was brought in to replace Joel Peralta in the bottom of the ninth to secure LA's 10-6 lead. Jansen served up a two-run double to Maikel Franco and a single to Ryan Howard bringing the winning run to the plate in Brown. Brown hit a line drive down the first base line, but Gonzalez made a diving catch and stepped on the bag for the game-ending double play.

Game Notes:
The Dodgers are a season high 16 games above .500, and currently hold a 2.5 game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West.

Despite having the best record since the All-Star break, Philadelphia still has the worst record in baseball at 42-67.

Phillies' all-time hits leader, Jimmy Rollins, received a standing ovation for the third consecutive game.

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