Chad Billingsley was outstanding today, striking out a career-high-tying 13 Diamondbacks, leaving the game after seven innings with a 4-1 lead in the series finale in Phoenix. But then, George Sherrill and Jonathan Broxton each gave up two-run home runs in a disastrous eighth inning that turned a three-run lead into a 5-4 Dodger loss.
Old friend Tony Abreu hit a home run off Sherrill, and Chris Young greeted Broxton with a no-doubter to give the Diamondbacks the lead. I am at a lack of words to describe Broxton's second half, so I will only leave you with his numbers since the All-Star break: 23 2/3 innings, 28 hits, 19 runs (18 earned), 21 walks, 18 strikeouts, 3 home runs, 6.85 ERA, 2.070 WHIP.
The only other time Billingsley struck out 13 batters in a game was July 13, 2008 against the Marlins. Three of his six career double-digit strikeout games have come against the Diamonadbacks:
| Chad Billingsley Double-Digit K Games | |||||||
| Date |
Opp |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
| Today |
Ari |
7.0 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
| 7/13/08 | Fla |
7.0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
| 4/24/08 | Ari |
6.0 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
12 |
| 5/31/10 | Ari |
8.0 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
| 6/30/09 | Col |
7.2 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
11 |
| 4/13/09 | SF |
7.0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
The only run Billingsley allowed came courtesy of a misplay in right field by Reed Johnson. Leading off the fifth inning, Miguel Montero hit what was probably a single, maybe a double to right center field, but Johnson saw red and pulled the cape, allowing the ball to get by him for a triple. Montero scored on a sacrifice fly.
That pulled Arizona to within 2-1, as the Dodgers scored their first two runs thanks to three straight two-out hits, culminating in a two-run double by James Loney.
Arizona almost got another run in the seventh, when Montero again hit a ball to Johnson in right field. As the ball carried to the wall in the right field corner, Johnson slipped and fell on the warning track, turning a catchable ball into yet another triple for Montero, whose wife just gave birth to a baby boy yesterday. The only other catcher in the last 10 seasons to have two triples in a game was John Buck, who turned the trick on April 30, 2009.
Montero tried to score on a ground ball to shortstop, but Rafael Furcal unleashed the throw of the day, home to nail Montero, thanks also in part to a great plate block by Rod Barajas.
Barajas gave the Dodgers some insurance with a two-run home run in the top of the eighth, but that only set the stage for the latest Dodger bullpen implosion.
The Dodgers have now lost eight straight three-game series.
The Dodgers start a three-game series in Colorado tomorrow night, with Ted Lilly and Ubaldo Jimenez facing off in game one.
WP - Sam Demel (2-1): 1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout
LP - Jonathan Broxton (5-6): 2/3 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Sv - Juan Gutierrez (14): 1 IP, 1 hit
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