Phillies spoil Dodgers’ sweep plans

A pair of three-run hits spoiled a gem by Scott Kazmir and turned a 1-0 Dodgers lead into a 6-2 Phillies win in the series finale at Dodger Stadium.

Freddy Galvis hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning, then Ryan Howard broke the game open with a three-run double in the ninth.

Kazmir was pitching one of his best games of the year, with just three hits allowed through six scoreless innings, with six strikeouts, seven ground outs and just one fly ball to the outfield.

He started the seventh inning at just 89 pitches, but after a single by Carlos Ruiz and a walk to Jimmy Paredes, Kazmir’s day was done.

In came Grant Dayton, who has been wonderful so far for the Dodgers with five scoreless innings and eight strikeouts entering Wednesday, allowing only a walk and a hit batter. He struck out two of his four batters faced on Wednesday, but left a pitch to Galvis over the middle of the plate that was hammered into the Dodgers bullpen in left field for a game-turning home run.

It was the first hit allowed by Dayton in the majors, and it gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Kazmir was the first Dodgers starting pitcher to complete six innings in the last 10 games, since he did so himself on July 30, but two of the three runs were charged to him for a tough-luck loss.

Philadelphia rallied for more in the ninth, loading the bases, including an intentional walk, against Kenley Jansen, making his first appearance since Saturday. Howard followed with a double to right field to clear the bases.

The Dodgers scored early thanks to three straight hits in the first inning. Josh Reddick, moved up to second in the batting order after batting cleanup in his first five starts against right-handed pitching with the Dodgers, hit a hard line drive off the short wall in right field, but it was hit too hard for extra bases.

Reddick settled for a single, but he’ll take it since he was 2-for-27 entering Wednesday. Corey Seager followed with a single, then Adrian Gonzalez doubled down the first base line, a ball that caromed off first base umpire Alan Porter, to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

But after a walk later that inning, that was it against Jeremy Hellickson, who retired 13 straight batters and was cruising through the fifth. But he also walked off the mound holding his side, done after just 71 pitches with back tightness.

Elvis Araujo relieved Hellickson and pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the win for Philadelphia.

The Dodgers pulled to within one in the seventh on a double by Howie Kendrick and a single by Rob Segedin, giving him six RBI in three major league starts.

Corey Seager, who was hit on the right wrist by a pitch in the sixth inning but remained in the game, doubled in the eighth inning but was stranded.

Up next

The Dodgers are off Thursday, with only Clayton Kershaw’s Ping Pong 4 Purpose tournament going on. They open up a weekend series at Dodger Stadium against the Pirates, beginning with Ross Stripling starting Friday night in place of a blistered Rich Hill. Ivan Nova starts the opener for Pittsburgh.

Wednesday particulars

Home run: Freddy Galvis (11)

WP - Elvis Araujo (2-1): 1 IP, 1 hit

LP - Scott Kazmir (9-6): 6+ IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts