Ethier Caps Another Dodger Comeback

The Dodgers seemed destined to lose their second straight game to a dominant Phillies' starter.  Jamie Moyer threw seven solid innings, and left giving up only two runs on four hits.  However, if this Dodger team has taught us anything, its that they never give up until that 27th out is recorded, as the Phillies learned the hard way in a 4-3 Dodger win.

Closer Brad Lidge got the first two batters of the ninth, but that final out was quite elusive.  He got two strikes on each of the next three batters, but here's what they did:

• Casey Blake: single to LF
• James Loney:  walk
• Russell Martin:  grounder to 3B, booted by Pedro Feliz

That loaded the bases for Andre Ethier, who has shown signs of life in June, hitting three extra base hits in four games entering tonight.  Ethier drove the first pitch he saw into right field, out of the reach of fill-in outfielder Eric Bruntlett, allowing two runs to score, giving the Dodgers another walk-off win.

Eric Milton pitched decently enough in his 4.1 innings, but was done in by two botched double plays.  In the third inning, a potential 3-6-1 inning-ending double play was undone when Milton failed to cover first base, allowing the first run of the game to score.  In the fourth, a double play grounder to Orlando Hudson was booted, and Chase Utley later followed with a two-out, two-run double.

The Dodger relief corps was strong tonight, with Guillermo Mota, Brent Leach, Ramon Troncoso, and Jonathan Broxton providing 4.2 innings of scoreless relief.  Mota has not allowed a run in his last nine innings.

Broxton, who has yet to allow a run at Dodger Stadium this season, got his sixth win of the season, putting him in a tie for sixth place among all National League hurlers.  He allowed a hit to the right-handed Jayson Werth, but struck out all three lefthanders he faced.

Brad Lidge, who did not blow a save all of 2008, notched his fifth blown save of 2009.

The Dodgers are 13-5 in one-run games this season, including 10-1 at home.

Claudio Vargas pitched two innings for Class A Inland Empire Friday night, allowing a home run in two innings, recording his outs via five groundouts and a strikeout.

Hiroki Kuroda and Joe Blanton pitch tomorrow's day game on Fox.

WP - Jonathan Broxton (6-0):  1 IP, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts

LP - Brad Lidge (0-3): 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 unearned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Tonight's Box Score