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Matt Kemp provided the bulk of the offense, with an assist from Casey Blake, and Ted Lilly provided the strong starting pitching, giving the Dodgers another blowout win, their third in a row, this time 8-2 over Colorado. Kemp hit a two-run home run to right field in the first inning, and added a two-run single in the third inning, with some help from Jim Tracy.
The Rockies' manager elected to walk Andre Ethier with two on and first base open to face Kemp. Ethier was intentionally walked three times with Kemp on deck this season, and Kemp was 0-for-3 (two fly outs and a double play ground ball) before tonight's two-run single that widened the Dodgers' lead to 4-1. Blake added a three-run home run in the seventh inning to put the game away.
Lilly gave the Dodgers their third straight start of seven innings or longer, allowing just two runs on four hits. He threw a season-high 110 pitches, and struck out a season-high eight batters. On the season, Lilly has 49 strikeouts against just 12 walks. Coming into tonight Lilly had back-to-back quality starts for the first time all season, and tonight's effort made it three straight.
Ty Wigginton hit a solo home run -- just out of the reach of Kemp -- for the second straight night for Colorado.
With the score 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Rubby De La Rosa warmed up for what looked to be a potential two-inning save opportunity. But Blake's home run put the game out of reach, but De La Rosa was already warmed up so he pitched the final two innings anyway. And pitch them, he did, striking out two and allowing only a double to Troy Tulowitzki.
The last time the Dodgers won three straight games with at least seven runs in each game was from May 25-27, 2009, when the Dodgers ushered out the Clint Hurdle era in Colorado.
Tony Gwynn, Jr. did not get into the game tonight, snapping his consecutive games played streak at 24.
Hail To The Chief
Vicente Padilla threw two perfect innings (again) in his second rehab game with Rancho Cucamonga tonight. With Padilla's return to the Dodgers eminent -- as soon as this Friday when the Dodgers start their road trip in Cincinnati -- I pondered what a pair of multi-inning relievers (Padilla and Rubby De La Rosa) could mean for the roster going forward over on SB Nation Los Angeles.
*****
Jon Garland goes for the sweep tomorrow night, against Ubaldo Jimenez. Tomorrow is only the second time the Dodgers have had a chance to sweep a series this year, as they won the first two games in San Diego on April 8-9.
WP - Ted Lilly (4-4): 7 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 8 strikeouts
LP - Clayton Mortensen (1-4): 4 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, 0 strikeouts