Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Chad Billingsley struck out seven over
seven strong innings and A.J. Ellis recorded his first career multi-homer game
Friday as the Dodgers downed the Cubs, 6-1, in the opener of a three-game set.
Billingsley (7-9) surrendered one run on four hits and two walks to earn his
third consecutive victory.
Ellis clubbed a pair of a solo shots and added an RBI single, while Hanley
Ramirez stroked a two-run single and scored once to help the Dodgers snap a
three-game skid.
Jeff Samardzija (7-9) absorbed the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits
over 5 1/3 innings. Luis Valbuena knocked in the lone run for Chicago, which
has dropped three straight games.
Ellis clubbed his first homer of the night into left-center field to give LA a
1-0 lead in the third, but Chicago responded in the fifth as Darwin Barney
stroked a one-out single and Valbuena followed with a double down the first-
base line to plate Barney and knot the game at 1-1.
LA recaptured the lead for good in the bottom half as Ramirez doubled to start
the frame and quickly scored as James Loney followed with a Tobago of his
own.
Loney then moved to third on a flyout before Ellis plated him with a line-
drive single to left to make it a 3-1 contest.
The Dodgers tacked on two more in the sixth as Mark Ellis singled and Matt
Kemp followed with a hit to put men on second and third with no outs.
Ramirez then ripped a line-drive single two batters later to plate a pair as
the home team grabbed a 5-1 advantage and knocked Samardzija out of the game.
A.J. Ellis then clubbed his second homer of the game in the seventh, a leadoff
blast over the wall in right-center to extend the lead to 6-1.
GAME NOTES:
LA outfielder Shane Victorino, who the club acquired from Philadelphia on
Tuesday, recorded his first hit as a Dodger with a one-out single in the
seventh...Billingsley improved to 5-4 in 12 lifetime appearances against the
Cubs...Before the game, the Dodgers acquired pitcher Joe Blanton from the
Phillies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
The Sports Network