Dodgers beat Tigers behind another strong game from Chad Billingsley
Unfamiliar names materialized on the Dodgers’ lineup card Friday.
A.J. Ellis? Nick Green? Ronnie Belliard? They all play for the Dodgers, but usually only when the first-stringers need a rest.
Manny Ramirez? He’s usually in the lineup unless he strains his right calf or slams his left foot against the trainer’s table during warmups, as he did Wednesday.
But there they all were — along with another strong performance by Chad Billingsley — in the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in front of 44,282 at Dodger Stadium.
Manager Joe Torre wanted to rest catcher Russell Martin, second baseman Blake DeWitt and first baseman James Loney, but he also wanted to stack the lineup with right-handed batters against Tigers left-hander Dontrelle Willis.
The plan worked. The Dodgers roughed up Willis for four runs in 5 1/3 innings, and Billingsley kept the Tigers’ bats quiet, giving up one run and four hits in seven innings.
Billingsley has limited opponents to a .164 batting average in his last three outings, all wins, and he said he’s “just being aggressive with my fastball and mixing in my curveball.”
Added Ellis: “Bills was really great. He really worked both sides of the plate.”
The Dodgers got their 11th win in 12 games and, after San Diego’s loss to Seattle, are tied for first place in the National League West.
“These last couple weeks have been based on our pitching,” Torre said. “It was no different tonight. Billingsley was terrific. We did a good job out of the bullpen. And we do little things and we get a run here, get a run there and take advantage of some situations.”
Does first place matter?
“Not in May,” Torre said, though the Dodgers are a major-league-best 15-4 this month.
But, he added, “it’s certainly gratifying after breaking the nine-game winning streak to put two more up there. That’s big.”
Martin got the night off after starting 22 consecutive games behind the plate, leaving his career-best 15-game hitting streak intact.
Even with Martin, DeWitt and Loney (who entered the game in the eighth) resting — and Andre Ethier and Rafael Furcal out because of injuries — the Dodgers got Ramirez back after he missed two starts.
Only Ramirez didn’t look all there in left field, perhaps his left foot still smarting. Twice the crowd booed for seemingly half-hearted attempts to catch fly balls, something that’s never been his forte.
“He’s still nursing that thing,” Torre said. “He said it feels OK. He didn’t have any restrictions he felt. He may be a little ginger on it.”
But that same crowd cheered when his single to left in the fifth inning drove in Belliard from third, giving the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
That lead was increased by a run in the sixth when Ellis hit a single that drove in Reed Johnson, who had his second three-hit game of the season.
Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario pitched the eighth inning without giving up a hit, and Jonathan Broxton picked up his ninth save with a 1-2-3 outing.
“It’s just been great these last couple of weeks the way we’ve really taken charge on the mound,” Torre said. “It’s been great for us.”
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