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Dodgers' Billingsley dominates Reds

May 21, 2008 - 5:32 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Chad Billingsley has put his dismal start behind him.

Billingsley pitched seven scoreless innings Tuesday night to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The 23-year-old righthander took a no-decision in his first start of the season before losing each of his next four outings.

"Starting off with four losses seems like so long ago," Billingsley said. "I was throwing good then, but just coming out on the losing end of games."

However, Billingsley (4-5) earned his second straight win and fourth in his last five starts by allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

"I had a really commanding fastball tonight and just wanted to get ahead of hitters and putt them away," he said.

Billingsley also helped himself at the plate. His RBI single in the second inning off Reds starter Matt Belisle (1-4) gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Matt Kemp plated Jeff Kent with a fielder's choice earlier in the frame to open the scoring.

"It felt good to help myself out with the bat," Billingsley said. "I got a pitch I could hit and made good contact and found a hole."

Los Angeles sealed the victory with a pair of runs in the eighth inning.

Chin-lung Hu bounced Belisle from the game with a single to center to lead off the frame before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Delwyn Young.

Juan Pierre followed with an RBI single to right-center field off reliever Bill Bray as the Dodgers made it 3-0.

"That was a big insurance run near the end of the game, and it made it harder for (the Reds) to come back on," Pierre said.

Pierre stole second and advanced to third on a single by Andre Ethier, scoring one batter later on a fielder's choice by Russell Martin.

Belisle surrendered three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out three while suffering his third loss in as many starts.

"I felt like I pitched good enough to win the game, but just got into trouble in the second inning and that was the difference," Belisle said.

"I thought that Matt pitched great for us tonight," Reds' manager Dusty Baker said. "They just got a couple of weird hits in the second inning and that was it."

Edwin Encarnacion plated Adam Dunn with a two-out single off reliever Joe Beimel in the ninth inning, summoning closer Takashi Saito, who struck out pinch hitter Ryan Freel for the final out to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Dunn finished with a single, a walk and a run scored, snapping a streak of five consecutive games with a home run, which tied a franchise record.

"It was a good streak while it lasted and hope I can get it going again (Wednesday)," Dunn said. "We have been playing good baseball lately and just have to get back on the winning track again."