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Dodgers take over 1st place in NL West

Jul 23, 2013 - 6:30 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - A.J. Ellis went 4-for-6 with a home run and a career-high five RBI to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 14-5 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game interleague set.

Skip Schumaker hit a three-run homer, Carl Crawford added three hits and two RBI and Andre Ethier finished with a pair of doubles and three runs scored for the Dodgers, who improved to 21-5 since June 21.

"I know as fast as it comes is as fast as it goes," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "We'll take this game for what it is, we were able to score today. Tomorrow is a whole new day."

With the win and an Arizona loss, Los Angeles moved one-half game ahead of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West. It is the first time this season the Dodgers have had sole possession of first place.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (8-3) gave up four runs on nine hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Mark DeRosa went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Melky Cabrera and Colby Rasmus added two hits and one RBI apiece for the Blue Jays, who have dropped seven of their last eight games.

Josh Johnson (1-6) was pounded for five runs on seven hits over two-plus innings to absorb the loss.

"That was pitiful," said a frustrated Johnson. "Don't like it but, we didn't even battle."

The Dodgers posted four runs in the second inning to jump out to an early lead. Ethier hit a ground-rule double and Ellis followed with a two-run homer to center field. After Juan Uribe was hit by a pitch and Mark Ellis singled, Crawford laced a single to center to score Uribe and Yasiel Puig followed with another run-scoring hit.

Los Angeles added one in the third as Ethier doubled and scored on A.J. Ellis' base hit to center.

Toronto broke through in the home half with a pair of runs. With two on and two outs, Cabrera singled to center to score Edwin Encarnacion. DeRosa followed with a bloop single to right to plate Adam Lind.

Adrian Gonzalez scored on Ethier's double-play ground out in the fourth, and the Dodgers added four more runs in the sixth.

Hanley Ramirez walked and Ethier reached on a Lind fielding error. Ellis followed with a base hit to center field to score Ramirez. After Schumaker singled to load the bases, Uribe grounded out to short, but it was enough to score Ethier.

Mark Ellis followed with a sacrifice fly to center and Crawford capped the inning with an RBI single.

In the home half, Cabrera scored on Brett Lawrie's groundout and Rasmus crossed the plate after a wild pitch to make it 10-4.

Los Angeles, though, scored four more runs in the seventh to make it a 10-run game. With runners at second and third, A.J. Ellis roped a base hit to right to score Gonzalez. Schumaker followed with a shot to right field to make it 14-4.

Rasmus singled home DeRosa in the eighth to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

The teams combined for 29 hits ... The Blue Jays committed five errors ... Ramirez went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored ... Los Angeles finished 10-for-19 with runners in scoring position.