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Dodgers look to sweep Phillies

Aug 14, 2008 - 10:04 AM Philadelphia (64-56) at LA Dodgers (61-59) 10:10 p.m. EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers will look to effect two different division races Thursday when they go for a sweep of their four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Dodgers picked up a game in the National League West race on Wednesday, pulling into a tie for first with the Arizona Diamondbacks (61-59) when Nomar Garciaparra's walk-off blast gave them a 7-6 victory over the Phillies.

Los Angeles has won in dramatic fashion in each of the last two games, with Andre Ethier providing the walk-off heroics with an RBI single on Tuesday.

The three consecutive setbacks have dropped Philadelphia into a tie for first with the New York Mets (64-56) in the NL East.

Brett Myers (5-9, 5.09 ERA) will be attempting to build on a string of promising outings for the Phillies. The veteran righthander is 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA and is holding opponents to an .180 average since returning from a minor league demotion on July 23.

Myers engaged in a brief dugout confrontation with manager Charlie Manuel after being pulled from his start on Saturday after 7 1/3 innings despite having yielded one run and five hits. Myers felt he should have been allowed to continue against the Pirates.

The Dodgers will counter with their own hot starter, Hiroki Kuroda (6-8, 4.02). The Japanese righthander has allowed a total of two runs in his last 15 1/3 innings, going 1-0.

Kuroda has been at his best at Dodger Stadium, posing a 4-1 record with a 3.29 ERA at home.