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Dodgers’ offense explodes for biggest night of season in 15-9 victory over Phillies

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Those versatile Dodgers, their starting pitching finally hiccups and the offense suddenly wakes up -- with a serious roar.

An offense that had been limp for a month made itself all at home in Philadelphia, scoring early and often, on the way to an 15-9 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday.

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It was the most runs the Dodgers have scored in a game this season.

The Dodgers got the first four-hit night of the season from Andre Ethier, the first home run from Jay Gibbons in three years, and a four-RBI night from Casey Blake to run away from the Phillies.

By the time night was over, the Dodgers had collected 18 hits, with Ethier and Gibbons each driving in three runs.

The offense picked a good night to find itself, what with Vicente Padilla being at something less than the right-hander who had sported a stunning 0.74 ERA in his previous five starts.

Padilla (6-3) threw a two-hit shutout against the Padres in his last start, but struggled somewhat with his control against the Phillies.

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Presented with a 7-0 lead, he gave up one run in the fourth and then three in the fifth, two coming on a Ross Gload home run. Gload would later add a second two-run homer off Carlos Monasterios.

Padilla went five innings, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out two, his ‘soap bubble’ curve not floating into the strike zone as reliably as in recent past efforts.

But with the offense coming to life, on this night it mattered not.

Ethier is showing signs of the guy who was tearing up the league before fracturing his pinky. In his last eight games, he’s batting .394 (13 for 33), with seven RBI and seven runs.

He started the Dodgers’ big offensive night by lining in a run-scoring single in the first and doubling in their next run in the second. A Gibbons hit scored Ethier.

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The Dodgers took charge with a four-run fourth. A Ryan Theriot sacrifice fly and singles by Ethier, James Loney and Blake each scored one run.

After the Phillies pulled to within 7-4 in the fifth, the Dodgers scored four more times in the sixth. Suddenly, they were a regular offensive machine.

A Loney double and Blake sacrifice fly preceded a two-run homer by Gibbons.

For Gibbons, out of the major leagues for the past three years after being identified in the Mitchell Report, it was his first home run since July 17, 2007.

In his two games with the Dodgers since playing four months at triple-A Albuquerque, Gibbons is 4-for-5 with four RBI.

Blake added his 12th home run of the season in the ninth.

Ethier finished a perfect 4-for-4. He also walked and was hit by a pitch.

Things got so out of hand, reliever George Sherrill batted for the first time in his six-year career in the ninth. He walked.

-- Steve Dilbeck

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