Dodgers can’t hold on to complete sweep

The Dodgers hit two more home runs and jumped out to an early lead on Thursday, but couldn’t hold on for the sweep, falling to the Phillies 5-4 in the series finale at Citizens Bank Park.

Maikel Franco hit a two-run home run against Grant Dayton in the seventh inning to turn a one-run deficit into Philadelphia’s first lead of the ballgame.

Just like the series finale with the Phillies last week in Los Angeles, a seventh-inning lead with a chance to sweep was turned into a deficit and ultimate loss after a home run allowed by Dayton.

On Thursday night, the Dodgers held a 4-1 advantage in the fourth inning.

After Chase Utley and Corey Seager singled to open the game, Justin Turner cashed them in with yet another fly ball home run. One night after hitting a rare 40-degree launch angle home run, Turner lofted a ball with a 45-degree launch angle that landed over the fence and just inside the left field foul pole for a quick 3-0 advantage.

Turner also doubled, and has a hit in each of his last 14 starts, hitting .339 (20-for-59) with 13 extra-base hits during that span.

Yasmani Grandal launched a home run that hit the scoreboard in right field in the fourth inning, giving him 20 home runs on the season. He is the first Dodgers catcher with 20 home runs in a season since Paul Lo Duca hit 25 in 2001 (Lo Duca hit 20 that season as a catcher).

With Turner (23), Seager (21) and Grandal (20), the Dodgers have three players with 20 or more home runs for the first time since 2001 (Shawn Green 49, Gary Sheffield 36, Paul Lo Duca 25, Marquis Grissom 21).

Up next

The Dodgers take Bill Belichick’s advice and are on to Cincinnati, batting the Reds in a four-game wraparound weekend series. Bud Norris starts the opener on Friday night, facing Tim Adleman for the Reds.

Thursday particulars

Home runs: Justin Turner (23), Yasmani Grandal (20); Ryan Howard (19), Maikel Franco (22)

WP - Michael Mariot (1-0): 3 up, 3 down

LP - Grant Dayton (0-1): ⅔ IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout

Sv - Jeanmar Gomez (32): 3 up, 3 down