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Myers, Rollins star as Phils sweep four from Dodgers

Aug 26, 2008 - 3:43 AM By Larry Dougherty PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- What goes around, comes around. Just ask the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Just 11 days ago the Dodgers swept the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-game series in Los Angeles for the first time since 1962. The Phillies returned the favor, completing a sweep of the Dodgers in a four-game series in Philadelphia for the first time since 1929 with a 5-0 win on Monday night.

Brett Myers (7-10), who has been dominant since returning to the rotation on July 23, extended his scoreless inning streak to a career-best 16 innings while Jimmy Rollins snapped out of a 2-for-25 slump with three hits and two RBI.

"The offense really showed up tonight as they showed up this whole series," Myers said. "We have been getting good pitching and when you get good pitching and good offense you should win some games."

The Dodgers had 13 hits, but failed to get a runner home, stranding 14. Los Angeles also had 16 base runners in the game.

"It's never easy to look back and say, 'Why didn't we score runs?' because if you draw it up, you think law of averages, except you can't rely on that," Dodger manager Joe Torre said. "You still have to hang in there. You can't lose your sense of reality. You have to look at the big picture instead of what's gone on here the last four days."

The Phillies opened the scoring in the second. Jayson Werth walked and Pedro Feliz singled to lead off the frame. Casey Blake speared a Chris Coste liner for the first out, and following a Myers' sacrifice bunt, Rollins followed with a two-run single to left.

"Rollins is going to hit, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He has a good swing, a good approach at the plate and a short compact swing. He is going to hit."

Myers, who tossed his third career shutout in his last outing, continued to put up zeroes despite allowing at least one hit in each of the first seven innings and nine overall. The burly right-hander countered that with eight strikeouts while his defense turned two double plays.

"I thought his composure was good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "His command was good and he worked a lot off his breaking ball."

Myers improved to 4-1 with a 1.66 ERA in his seven starts since being recalled from the minors.

"Myers is good," Torre said. "He's a grinder. I watched that when he was closing for the club and then when he was a starter before that. He comes at you."

Philadelphia added another run in the fifth. Rollins doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on an Utley single. He came home on when Pat Burrell grounded into a double play.

Los Angeles, which had runners in scoring position in seven innings, had its best of many chances to score in the seventh. With the bases loaded and one-out, Myers struck out Jeff Kent and then got Manny Ramirez to line out to deep left to end the threat.

"I knew I had to bear down," Myers said. "Those are their two best power hitters. It is tough. I want to face their best in key situations as I am a competitor. It is fun when you face those situations, It is not fun when you don't get them out, but it is fun when you do."

Dodger starter Chad Billingsley (12-10) was touched for his first loss since July 19. He allowed just three runs over six innings in tossing his fourth straight quality start and 16th of the season.

"I was pretty disappointed in myself." Billingsley said. "I wanted to go a little bit deeper in the game. Just was constantly battling, guys on base every inning. I found myself trying to make precise pitches and getting behind in the count."

The Phillies added two more insurance runs in the seventh off reliever Chan Ho Park. Ryan Howard doubled to lead off the frame and scored on Werth's RBI single. Werth then came around to score from second on a RBI groundout by Coste.

JC Romero allowed two singles before retiring the next three batters in order for a scoreless eighth while Clay Condrey worked out of a jam in the ninth to preserve the shutout.

"I don't know," Torre said of the sweep. "You'd probably run Charlie Manuel's (comments) last week and just put my name on it."