Dodgers Struggle Against Diamondbacks

Los Angeles lost for the sixth time in 10 games with a 5-3 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

The Dodgers remain in first place in the West at 47-39, but have been inconsistent due to injuries to a number of front-line players.

"When we get all our guys back... Matt (Kemp) is supposed to be back, Dre (Andre Ethier) is supposed to be back, we got Mark Ellis back, we are going to be a new team," starter Chad Billingsley said.

Billingsley (4-9) lost his fifth straight start and hasn't won since June 10 at Seattle. He allowed four runs on six hits and struck out five in six innings.

"I try to go out there and win a game every day," he said. "Left the game and had a chance. Can't do anything about the outcome of the game. Just go out there and improve my strikeouts to walks and try not to give any free passes."

Billingsley didn't walk anyone, but he couldn't hold a 2-0 lead and the Dodgers didn't help him with many runs. The right-hander hasn't won since June 10 in Seattle.

"It's not like you can look at it and go, 'That is terrible,'" Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "It seems like he is always kind of OK. They have a good team. I am going to give those guys credit all the time, but you still have to make pitches. They have some guys who can hit and have some guys who have pretty good numbers off (Billingsley).

Trevor Cahill (7-7), traded from Oakland in the offseason, gave up three runs and six hits and improved to 17-1 in his past 22 starts when his team scores three or more runs.

"It was big for him to get through seven innings for us," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said of Cahill. "Just bullpen-wise, we don't want to use everybody. Seven innings just makes (Sunday's) game much better as well."

Trailing 2-0, Arizona scored three runs in the fifth inning. Gerardo Parra had a two-run double and then scored on Stephen Drew's sacrifice fly. The Diamondbacks added another run in the sixth on Paul Goldschmidt's sacrifice fly.

J.J. Putz pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 19 chances.

The Dodgers cut the lead to 4-3 in the seventh on A.J. Ellis' seventh home run of the season, but Jason Kubel's solo home run in the bottom of the eighth restored the two-run advantage.

Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the first on Jerry Hairston Jr.'s two-run homer. It was his fourth of the season.

Notes: Gibson said the first three starting pitchers after the All-Star break will be Ian Kennedy, Joe Saunders and Cahill. All-Star Wade Miley usually has his turn after Kennedy, but will be rested. ... 2B Aaron Hill was honored by the club before Saturday's game for hitting for the cycle twice in 11 days recently. He was given framed lineup cards from both games, and a bike for his daughter.. Dodgers OF Matt Kemp ended his four-game rehab stint with Class A Rancho Cucamonga Friday night and is scheduled for a pair of games with Triple-A Albuquerque over the weekend. ... Mattingly gave second baseman Mark Ellis a day off Saturday. Ellis had started the past two games only four days removed from returning from the disabled list, but is expected back in the lineup Sunday. ... INF Justin Sellers, on the DL with a back injury, is at the Dodgers' Camelback Ranch facility in nearby Glendale, Ariz., going through baseball activities as part of his rehabilitation. He isn't expected to rejoin the club immediately after the All-Star break. ... Billingsley recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned Cahill in the third inning, and became the 12th Los Angeles Dodger in history to achieve the feat.

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