Fife Delivers, But Dodgers Fall To Phillies Again

Stephen Fife gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed in his spot start on Tuesday night, but the offense gave no margin for error. Hunter Pence hit a two-out, two-run single off Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning to give the Phillies a 3-2 win and send the Dodgers to their fourth straight loss.

After going down in order in the first inning, the Dodgers opened the second inning with four straight hits off Halladay. After Andre Ethier singled and Adam Kennedy doubled, both James Loney and Luis Cruz followed with RBI singles to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Fife only struck out one batter, but he induced 11 ground outs in his six innings, helping to hold the Phillies to just one run. Philadelphia put runners in scoring position in four of Fife's final five innings but none of them scored.

Sadly, Fife never got to face John Mayberry Jr.

The run prevention highlight of the night came in the sixth inning, when Matt Kemp threw out Ryan Howard at home plate on a single by Hunter Pence. That preserved a 2-1 lead and kept Fife as the pitcher of record, for a while at least.

Josh Lindblom pitched a scoreless seventh inning, but Ronald Belisario issued a walk and hit two batters in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs. Jansen was brought in to attempt a four-out save, but he was greeted by Pence with a single up the middle to plate two. Kemp threw out Carlos Ruiz at third base for his second assist of the night and the third out of the inning, but the go-ahead run had already crossed the plate.

Tonight's Particulars

Home Runs: none

WP - Kyle Kendrick (3-8): 1 2/3 IP, 2 hits, 1 strikeout

LP - Ronald Belisario (3-1): 2/3 IP, 2 runs, one walk, two HBP

Sv - Jonathan Papelbon (21): 1 IP, 1 strikeout