| Advertisement |
LOS ANGELES -- Even while enjoying his best season as a power hitter, Freddy Galvis managed to astonish himself with his latest blast. Galvis hit a three-run home run and Ryan Howard added a three-run double to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in front of 41,098 at Dodger Stadium.
Advertisement
Galvis' 11th homer, a career high, was the first for the switch-hitting shortstop against a left-handed pitcher in two years.
"I was surprised," Galvis said. "I was like, 'What's happening now on the right side?'"
Galvis' home run turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Phillies lead in the top of the seventh. Carlos Ruiz began the inning with a single past the outstretched glove of third baseman Rob Segedin. Then starter Scott Kazmir walked Jimmy Paredes before being relieved by left-hander Grant Dayton.
"Grant's been throwing the heck out of the ball," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "Lefties have had success against that part of the lineup."
Dayton struck out Tyler Goeddel but on a 2-2 count, Galvis propelled Dayton's 90- mph pitch into the Dodgers' bullpen down the left-field line.
"I've been working very hard in the cage to keep my right hand back," he said. "I just try to stay back on the ball and not lunge at breaking pitches. It's working."
The Dodgers narrowed their deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh when Howie Kendrick hit a double over Goeddel's head in left field and scored on Segedin's single up the middle. The hosts then put the potential tying run in scoring position in the eighth.
With one out, Corey Seager hit a double over center fielder Aaron Altherr, who tried to make a one-handed catch. Then, after Yasmani Grandal walked with two outs, Galvis made a big defensive play to end the inning.
The shortstop made a sliding, backhanded catch of Joc Pederson's ground ball at the cut of the outfield grass near second base and threw Pederson out.
Philadelphia responded in the ninth with three more runs on Howard's bases-loaded double.
The defeat ended the Dodgers' four-game winning streak and cost them a share of first place in the National League West. The San Francisco Giants regained sole ownership with a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins earlier on Wednesday.
"We're aware of it but you don't think about it," Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said about his team's one-game deficit behind the Giants. "We're just at the beginning of August. You start to pay attention more in the second week or the third week of September. But we all know it's going to be a battle all the way to the end."
Left-hander Elvis Araujo, who was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, recorded the victory in relief. Araujo (2-1) allowed one hit and hit one batter in his lone inning, the sixth.
Araujo replaced starter Jeremy Hellickson, who left the game after five innings with back tightness. Hellickson retired the final 13 batters he faced, collected seven strikeouts and permitted just one run, three hits and a walk.
"According to the trainers, it doesn't seem to be an issue," Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said. "But we'll wait and see."
Kazmir (9-6) suffered his third successive loss. The left-hander allowed two runs on four hits and three walks in six-plus innings while striking out six.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead but left the bases loaded in the first against Hellickson, who won five of his previous six decisions.
Josh Reddick lined a single down the right-field line with one out, moved to second base on Seager's single and scored on Adrian Gonzalez's double, a low line drive off the left foot of first-base umpire Alan Porter.
Hellickson then struck out Grandal before walking Pederson. But Hellickson defused the threat by striking out Kendrick, then retired every batter he faced before feeling a twinge while facing former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, whom he struck out to end the fifth.
"I just felt a little tweak on the second pitch and it tightened up on me," Hellickson said. "I tried to talk Pete into letting me go back out there, but it's probably a good thing he didn't. It'll probably be sore for a couple of days but I'll be fine."
NOTES: Wednesday marked the 35th anniversary of Pete Rose breaking the National League's record for career hits. Rose accomplished that feat with the Phillies. ... Philadelphia CF Aaron Altherr made his fifth start of the season at the position. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said after Tuesday night's game that Altherr would take over the position this year from All-Star CF Odubel Herrera. ... The Phillies recalled LHP Elvis Araujo from Triple-A Lehigh Valley after placing RHP Zach Eflin on the disabled list Tuesday. ... Los Angeles LHP Rich Hill will not make his team debut Friday night because his blisters have not healed. RHP Ross Stripling will start in Hill's place. ... Dodgers 3B Rob Segedin made his major-league debut at the position. Segedin, who played two games in left field for Los Angeles, appeared in 58 contests at third base for Triple-A Oklahoma City this year. ... Dodgers SS Corey Seager needs one home run to tie the team record for most by a shortstop. Glenn Wright hit 22 homers in 1930. ... The Dodgers' pitching staff leads the major leagues with 1,071 strikeouts.
