Billingsley & Blake Carry The Dodgers, 6-3

The Dodgers needed a win today to both win the series with Texas and ensure their eighth straight winning week.  Enter Chad Billingsley and Casey Blake.  The highlights:

• Billingsley pitched into the eighth inning, allowing only two earned runs on five hits, picking up his National League-leading ninth win.
• Casey Blake gave the Dodgers their first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, then unleashed a three-run Beard Bomb well over the left field wall in the third inning to give the Dodgers the lead for good.
• The Dodgers piled up 10 hits and seven walks, infusing some life into their offense.  The only player without a hit was Juan Pierre, who still got on base twice via walks.
• Andre Ethier, James Loney, and Matt Kemp each stole second base
• Ramon Troncoso pitched a scoreless eighth inning, lowering his ERA on the season to 1.51
  
• After allowing a leadoff single in the ninth inning to Michael Young, Jonathan Broxton fanned the next three hitters to close out the series

Fun with numbers:

The Dodgers take Monday off, then will welcome Oakland to town for a short three-game homestand.  Clayton Kershaw will face Dallas Braden Tuesday.

WP - Chad Billingsley (9-3): 7 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

LP - Derek Holland (1-4): 5 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts

Sv - Jonathan Broxton (16): 1 IP, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts

Box Score