• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Andre Ethier leads Dodgers past Diamondbacks 7-3

May 11, 2010 - 6:10 AM By MATT PAULSON AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX(AP) -- Andre Ethier has developed a reputation for getting big hits in the late innings over the past three seasons.

He didn't wait until the end to deliver Monday night.

Ethier had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-3.

Ethier, who has two game-ending hits this season and a major league-high 11 since the start of 2008, did most of his damage early in this one. His two-run double in the fifth inning gave the Dodgers a 4-1 cushion.

With his 3-for-5 performance, Ethier raised his major league-leading average to .393.

"He's just all about confidence right now," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.

The Phoenix native who attended nearby Arizona State came into the day leading or tied for first in the National League in six offensive categories including batting average, home runs and RBIs.

"I'm going up there trying to get a good pitch to hit, putting a good swing on it," said Ethier, who has 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in 30 games. "I think I've become a little bit smarter with my approach and my swing. I know my swing a lot better and what has led to my success in my career, and I try not to shy away from that."

James Loney homered and drove in two runs, and Chad Billingsley (3-2) allowed two runs and three hits in 5 1-3 innings to earn his 50th career win.

Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake and Blake DeWitt added RBI singles for the Dodgers, who won on the road for only the fifth time in 16 games. It was their first victory away from home since April 24 at Washington, snapping a four-game slide.

Chris Young homered, and Cole Gillespie and Rusty Ryal each had an RBI for Arizona, which lost for the fifth time in six games.

Rodrigo Lopez (1-2) pitched seven innings but walked a season-high five, two of which scored.

"The walks were an issue, especially the leadoff walk in the fifth," Lopez said.

Ethier's two-run double came after Russell Martin opened the fifth with a walk and Matt Kemp followed with a single.

Ethier doubled again in the ninth, this time with two outs to spark a three-run inning. Loney, Blake and DeWitt then had consecutive RBI singles.

Loney put Los Angeles ahead 1-0 with a homer in the second to end an 0-for-13 drought.

Young tied it with his own solo shot in the bottom half before the Dodgers regained the lead for good on Ramirez's RBI single in the third.

Billingsley tied his season high with seven strikeouts. The Diamondbacks struck out 12 times. Their top four batters combined for eight strikeouts, not a good formula for a team struggling to score.

Arizona has scored three or fewer runs in four straight games - all losses at home - and six of its last seven.

"It's difficult to put together rallies that way and we're not swinging," manager A.J. Hinch said. "It hasn't been a good homestand at all. Much of our identity, at least early on, was about quality at-bats, and now they're few and far between."

Billingsley was lifted after Stephen Drew's one-out double in the sixth put runners at second and third. Ronald Belisario walked Young to load the bases, but Arizona scored only once, on Gillespie's groundout.

Ryal had a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth, tying him with Pittsburgh's Delwyn Young for the NL lead with six pinch hits.

NOTES: Torre said if SS Rafael Furcal's minor league rehab assignment goes without incident he should rejoin the team for Friday's home game against San Diego. Furcal has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 28 with a strained left hamstring. ... Before the game, Los Angeles placed RHP Charlie Haeger on the 15-day DL with plantar fasciitis in his right heel and called up RHP John Ely from Triple-A Albuquerque. Ely is scheduled to start Tuesday. ... Arizona has homered in 11 of its last 13 games. ... Ramirez was booed every time he batted. ... Ethier has 48 RBIs against the Diamondbacks, his most against any team.