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Martin, Loney help Dodgers avoid sweep

Jun 23, 2008 - 12:39 AM By Jonathan Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers didn't have to play catch up on Sunday.

Russell Martin and James Loney each knocked in a pair of runs during a four-run first inning and the bullpen was terrific in relief of starter Chad Billingsley as the Dodgers posted a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians in interleague play on Sunday.

Martin hit his seventh home run of the season and Juan Pierre added three hits and a stolen base for Los Angeles, which won for just the 10th time in 29 games while struggling to generate much offense.

"Finally today, we came swinging early on," Martin said of the four-run first frame. "We haven't done that very often this year. It's fun to get a little cushion early in the game and set the tone."

Billingsley wasn't particularly sharp, as he allowed eight hits and three runs with a walk and four strikeouts. It was his second consecutive win after four straight winless outings.

But he did not have to be because Los Angeles struck for four runs in the first and four relievers held the Indians to just one hit in the final four frames to preserve the victory. Takashi Saito picked up his 11th save by working a perfect ninth.

"It's a good team victory, everybody did their parts and it was very well played," Billingsley said.

The Dodgers reached Indians' starter Paul Byrd (3-8) early. Pierre and Matt Kemp each reached base to open the game, before Loney belted a double to bring both home and Martin followed with a two-run blast to left for the 4-0 lead.

"Anytime you can put four runs on the board in the first inning, it's going to take some steam away from the other team," Martin said.

Byrd settled down after the shaky start. The righthander surrendered seven hits and the four runs with no walks in seven innings, but still dropped to 0-5 all-time against the Dodgers.

Garko, Peralta and Jamey Carroll each had two hits a piece for the Indians.

Billingsley ran into trouble in the third inning after surrendering lead-off singles. Following a run-scoring fielder's choice, Ryan Garko and Casey Blake each drove in a run to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Indians' potential tying run in the inning was nullified by a superb defensive play by right fielder Andre Ethier.

David Dellucci lined a two-out double down the right-field line with Jhonny Peralta on first, forcing Ethier to make a sliding stop near the stands to prevent the ball from reaching the outfield fence. He quickly hit cut-off man Luis Maza, who fired home to Martin to get Peralta at the plate by a couple of steps.

"If (the ball) gets past him, I think Jhonny is going to score," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

"We had a nice defensive play by Andre to cut that ball off," Martin said. "That's was the ballgame right there."