Dodgers 3 - 5 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Billingsley tries to avoid fifth straight loss in Arizona

Jul 7, 2012 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - Chad Billingsley hopes to avoid a fifth straight loss tonight, when the Los Angeles Dodgers continue a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Billingsley hasn't won since June 10, but has been decent over his last two outings, allowing six runs and striking out 15 in consecutive six-inning outings. However, he lost 3-0 in San Francisco on June 27 and 8-2 at home versus Cincinnati on Monday.

The right-hander threw five scoreless innings before the Reds got to him in the sixth. That came after Billingsley hit Cincinnati's Zack Cozart in the helmet with a pitch, though the starter didn't think that impacted his outing.

"I had good fastball command early. I tried to throw a two-seamer into Zack and it got away from me. I wasn't rattled. They were just able to put some hits together," said Billingsley, who is 4-8 with a 4.20 earned run average in 17 starts on the year.

Manager Don Mattingly disagreed with his starter, saying the hit batter may have played a factor in the loss.

"It was one of those games," Mattingly said. "Chad was looking good. After hitting Zack, he didn't seem the same. It's always discouraging when you lose."

The 27-year-old allowed four runs over four innings of a loss to the Diamondbacks on May 15, falling to 10-8 with a 3.74 ERA in his career against them.

Trevor Cahill also looks to return to the win column tonight for Arizona, having followed four straight wins with back-to-back losses in which he has given up 10 runs, six earned.

Cahill lost to the Padres on Monday, charged with four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and three walks. The righty did commit an error in the game that led to two runs and he has allowed four homers in the two setbacks.

Cahill, 24, is 6-7 with a 3.63 ERA in 16 starts on the year and has allowed on earned run over 11 1/3 innings in his career versus the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks starter won't have the pressure of trying to snap his club's longest losing streak of the season as Arizona used a big sixth inning last night to secure a 5-3 win. It was the first victory in seven games for the D- Backs, who got a two-run triple from Justin Upton in the frame.

"We've struggled as of late," said Upton. "To get a big win tonight, kind of snap that streak and get everybody in a better state of mind is nice."

Aaron Hill added three hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Diamondbacks, while Josh Collmenter allowed two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and two walks over six innings to earn the win.

Clayton Kershaw was touched for five runs on five hits and two walks through 5 1/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Dodgers, who saw their three-game win streak come to an end.

"I walked the leadoff guy, (they) got some hits and before you know it we're down so it was just a rough inning, really," said Kershaw of Arizona's big sixth.

Bobby Abreu had three hits and an RBI in defeat.

LA has won four of seven matchups with the D-backs this season and is 7-4 in the past 11 meetings between the division foes. The Dodgers also have won five of their last eight trips to Chase Field.






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