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Billingsley, homers help Dodgers down Mets

May 6, 2008 - 6:24 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Chad Billingsley pitched six solid innings Monday night to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets.

Billingsley (2-4) allowed just one run, five hits and four walks while striking out four en route to his second consecutive victory following four straight losses.

"I didn't really change anything, just trying to make the off-speed (pitches) work," Billingsley said. "I wanted to pound the zone early and hit the spots, it worked out. I just wanted to throw strikes, the only thing that's not working is my curveball."

The 23-year-old lefthander entered Monday's start with 37 strikeouts over his last four starts, but was just 1-3 in that span primarily due to a lack of control. He issued 13 walks during the four-game stretch.

"I'm just trying to go out there and try to stay within myself," Billingsley said.

Billingsley continued to struggle with his control against the Mets, throwing just 56 of 96 pitches for strikes, but induced 12 ground-ball outs and allowed runners to reach third base just twice.

"I got ahead of guys early, pounded the zone and didn't make too many mistakes," he said. "I was throwing strikes and they were hitting ground balls."

Rookie third baseman Blake DeWitt hit his first major league home run in the fifth inning for the Dodgers before right fielder Matt Kemp added a two-run blast just three batters later to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

"I was rounding first base and saw it go out, I got the chills," DeWitt said. "I was so excited, I probably had a big smile on my face, It was pretty exciting.

"It was better than I thought it would be, and we got a win to go along with it. It was a special night."

Kemp, who was named National League Player of the Week on Monday, was batting just .273 through his first 22 games this season but has raised his average to .324 with 18 hits in his last 43 at-bats.

"I'm seeing the ball well, as well as everybody else is," Kemp said. "Everyone's going up there battling, we're all having good at-bats and doing whatever it takes to draw that walk and take that extra base."

Oliver Perez (2-3) had another dismal outing for the Mets, surrendering five runs and six hits in six innings, walking two while striking out three to pick up his third loss in as many starts.

"My control was better, (the Dodgers) are hitting well right now," Perez said. "I was trying to have them make contact and they hit three homers and won the game."

"(Perez) is doing well for the most part, he just needs to be consistent and find his groove," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "He did a little better (on Monday), but he lost the game, which is most critical."

The Dodgers wasted little time against Perez, forging a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Rafael Furcal opened the scoring with a leadoff homer - his fifth of the season - before Russell Martin extended Los Angeles' lead with an RBI single to center field three batters later.

DeWitt and Kemp helped seal the win with their home runs in the fifth as Los Angeles earned its ninth win in the last 10 games.

The Mets, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games, picked up their only run in the sixth when Carlos Beltran tripled to lead off the inning and scored one batter later on Moises Alou's single to center.