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Gonzalez's blast lifts Dodgers past Phillies

Jul 18, 2007 - 11:21 PM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Luis Gonzalez's solo home run in the sixth inning enabled the Los Angeles Dodgers to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4, on Wednesday.

With the game tied, Gonzalez led off the frame by launching a homer into the right field seats off Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick. The blast was the veteran's 11th of the season but first since June 24.

For Gonzalez, a little patience paid big dividends.

"The first two at-bats, I swung at the first pitch," Gonzalez said. "In my third at-bat, I decided to go back to what I usually do, and I got a changeup up (in the strike zone)."

The home run made a winner out of Rudy Seanez (6-1), who pitched a scoreless sixth after taking over for starter Chad Billingsley.

Joe Beimel and Jonathan Broxton bridged the gap to the ninth before Takashi Saito survived some anxious moments to give the Dodgers their sixth win in seven games.

After surrendering a single to Greg Dobbs, Saito uncorked a wild pitch which sent pinch runner Michael Bourn to second. Saito settled down to record the final two outs for his 25th save.

"The bullpen has been great for us," Billingsley said. "They've been able to hold leads for us."

Andre Ethier blasted a three-run homer to right-center field in the fourth to give Los Angeles a 4-3 lead. The home run was the eighth of the season for Ethier.

Kendrick (4-1) failed to last six innings for the first time in seven games this season, giving up five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"He gave us the same type of game he's given us all year long," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He got hurt by the three-run homer and Gonzalez's homer was a big blow."

The Dodgers grabbed the lead in the first inning after Russell Martin's single plated Rafael Furcal.

Philadelphia's Ryan Howard responded with a solo home run in the second - his 25th of the season and third of the series. Carlos Ruiz followed four batters later by doubling in a run off Gonzalez's glove.

The Phillies upped their lead to 3-1 in the third when Howard worked a two-out walk and scored on Aaron Rowand's double into the left-center field gap.

After Ethier's home run gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead, Howard started another two-out rally in the fifth. The slugger singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Rowand walked, Pat Burrell singled up the middle to score Howard.

"Today's game could have gone either way," Manuel said. "They got the big hit at the right time."