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Diamondbacks-Dodgers Preview

Jun 3, 2009 - 6:50 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Arizona (23-30) at Los Angeles (36-18), 10:10 p.m. EDT

After a strong start to the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chad Billingsley has hit a bit of a snag.

The right-hander looks to avoid a third straight loss Wednesday night in the finale of a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

Billingsley (6-3, 2.80 ERA) won five of his first six starts, but is 1-3 with a 3.51 ERA in his last five. Though he's pitched into the sixth inning each time, he'll try to help the NL-leading Dodgers (36-18) avoid losing their second straight home series.

One night after falling 3-2 to the Diamondbacks, Los Angeles rallied with five runs in the eighth for a 6-5 win on Tuesday.

"It's frustrating to lose this way," said Arizona manager A.J. Hinch, whose team has alternated wins and losses in its last eight contests.

After giving up four earned runs in six innings of a 10-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on May 24, Billingsley surrendered two runs and eight hits while striking out seven in seven innings of a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

"Any loss is tough. A close game and one mistake hurts you," Billingsley told the Dodgers' official Web site. "Things happen. I mean, it's very tough to swallow."

The Dodgers are 5-2 against Arizona (23-30) this season as Billingsley gets set to make his first start versus them in 2009.

He is 5-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts against the Diamondbacks, and has allowed two runs while striking out 15 in 13 1-3 innings to win his last two outings versus them.

On Tuesday, James Loney hit a tying three-run double in the eighth and Casey Blake followed with an RBI single for the Dodgers, who had lost three of four.

Andre Ethier hit a solo shot to snap a homerless drought of 24 games and 89 at-bats.

Juan Pierre, who's hitting .379 while starting in place of the suspended Manny Ramirez, added a single. Pierre is 4 for 9 in the series after going 1 for 13 in his previous three contests.

He is 3 for 6 with a double against Jon Garland (4-4, 5.75), who also looks to avoid a third straight loss after giving up eight earned runs and nine hits while walking three in 2 2-3 innings of a 10-6 loss to Atlanta on Friday.

The right-hander, from nearby Valencia, Calif., has allowed at least seven earned runs four times in 12 starts dating to last season.

"It's flat-out terrible," Garland said. "But what do you do? Get back up there in five days and give the boys a chance."

Garland gave up three runs in seven innings of a 9-4 win over the Dodgers on April 10 to earn the win in his only previous appearance against them.

Justin Upton hit a grand slam Tuesday for the Diamondbacks. Upton, who was 0 for 12 in his previous three games, is batting .176 (3 for 17) against the Dodgers this season and 1 for 8 lifetime versus Billingsley.