Dodgers keep it rolling with 9-6 victory over Reds, as Matt Kemp homers again

This time, there was a carryover effect. A very quick one, too.

The Dodgers followed their most thrilling, if unlikely, victory of the season on Saturday with quick offensive explosion Sunday. And then just kept it going.

By the time it was over, after Matt Kemp had hit another home run, the Dodgers had a 9-6 victory and were feeling like they had tapped into their season’s elusive quality -- momentum.

The Dodgers scored runs in five of their first six innings, collecting 13 hits and 10 walks. Every Dodger starter picked up at least one hit and seven scored.

Two of the hits came from starting pitcher Chad Billingsley, who in an 11-pitch at-bat, hit a solo home run, walked to force in a run and doubled in a third. The three RBIs were a career high.

One more than even Kemp managed, which is not to say the hot-hitting outfielder slowed down.

Coming off that 11-8 comeback victory the previous day, the Dodgers jumped on Cincinnati starter Travis Wood for three runs in the first inning. Jamey Carroll walked, took third on an Aaron Miles double and scored on an Andre Ethier sacrifice fly.

At which time Kemp hit his third home run in two days, this one a two-run shot. That left him with 48 RBIs, tops in the National League. He went two for three Sunday with three walks. He now has 16 home runs on the season, second in the N.L.

Billingsley homered for the second time in his career in the second inninng, and then the Dodgers scored three more times in the third. Catcher Rod Barajas, who had been a stunning one for 34 with runners in scoring position, doubled in two, and a bases-loaded walk to Billingsley forced in a third.

The Dodgers’ offense took the fourth off, but then came back with single runs in the fifth (Billingsley RBI double) and sixth (Jerry Sands RBI single). A regular offensive machine.

By then they were up 9-3, and even Billingsley was laboring on the mound, it was a comfortable cushion. Billingsley (5-4) went five innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks.

John Ely surrendered two runs in his three-plus innings, with rookie Josh Lindblom getting the final three outs to help the Dodgers win their third series in a row.

RELATED:

Dodgers-Reds box score

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Pitcher Chad Billingsley (58) is congratulated by second baseman Aaron Miles after hitting a solo home run against the Reds in the second inning on Sunday in Cincinnati. Credit: Mark Lyons / EPA

Comments

[Los Doyers]

Im not sure what to make of this, but it looks promising, considering this is the best baseball the boys in blue have played thus far. Can they keep it up??

Vote Matt Kemp starter for All Star game!

I admit when Im wrong, I was a MATT KEMP basher, now he's proved himself and has been accountable on his approach to the game.

[16blows]

First, some side-busting

billingsley - 2 for 2 with a hr, double, 3 rbis, a run scored and led the dudgers with 6 total bases...he also threw 5 innings for the W - ooh la - la! Dual-threat 'Babe' Ruth by any other, homecoming man he from Defiance.

slappy 'e' - 2 for 4, misplayed fly ball scorers ruled a double & the usual slap single, 1 rbi and scored a pair. Eh? Hardly TC/MVP worthy but then consider the overhyped source... Boston's short porch will be more accomodating.

________

Now the reality check

As for the three game series, not so much an explosion signaling a new found dudger prowess as an indictment of Great American field/bandbox ball park, the hr venue that made Adam Dunn et al famous.

This is the type of MLB venue would make kemp a 50 hr hitter and Juan Pierre an Alex Hamilton; h*ll, loney might even hit 10 there. Conversely, it would turn a kershaw into a mediocre 4.50 era pitcher, his 6 earned runs in 6+ innings Saturday affirming.

Weighing merits & demerits, dudgers would still be a sub .500 team over the course a seemingly interminable season.

________

The jury is still (sort of) out

sluggo sands whiffed another 3x, but rekindled hope una vez mas with a slappy 'e' type single... ely affirmed (again) he is a AAAA pitcher at best.

I say again barring a trade (DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ANY PROSPECTS NED) put gwynn in LF, alternate sands & loney at 1st, 86 navarro in lieu of ellis or 'jose' gimenez at C, keeping taxiing your veterans as necessary 'tween the DL and 25 man, and... fantasize a sub .500 season pipe dream into an .500 wet.

[Chumpy Kemp]

Kemp is off to a fine start but I'm not convinced. He has a lot more to prove after the way he quit on the team last year.

[N.P.Krohn]

First time all year the Dodgers have won 3 series in arow?

[michaelb]

Matt Kemp hit’s his 1st inning homerun today and we get another memorable quote from idiot announcer Steve Lyons: “Matt Kemp has become a ‘tinkle’ player, the kind of guy who you never want to miss his at bat going to the men’s room”. What the Hell? Please get rid of this clown and his good buddy Eric Collins. They SUCK! They think what they say is hilarious. It’s NOT! Please put Charlie and Rick on as a simulcast and fire these pathetic hacks. (No offense Plaschke)

[Joe the Plumber]

Billingsley gives a Drysdale like performance in pitching and hitting.

[OUTSIDER]

I agree, listening to Collins/Lyons feels like i am listening to a AA team in Tulsa. This is what the Dodgers have become?

Having them on the same broadcast team as Vin Scully is like having graffiti art in the same room with the Mona Lisa.

[Carlos Martinez]

Billingsley has a higher batting average (and apparently more power) than James Loney, probably he should start at 1st base when not pitching..

[alanw19]

feels good to be winning again. c'mon guys, make my prediction of 78 wins horribly wrong. (Hey, full game above 5th in the NL West)

Anybody know how many times this season, through 60 games (about 12 chances), that we have won back-to-back games started by Kershaw and Bills? Even if they each were not the winning pitcher, just won the games they started. I feel confident whatever the low number, our lack of offense and our miserable wusspen figure into the equation with dramatic numbers.

Beat the phillies.

[LA42]

Maybe the white picket fence crowd will start to see that Kemp is actually alright.The next guy you allow to develop, is Sands.

[alanw19]

Credit to Kemp for playing well - NL rbi leader, 2nd in HR. Glad he's producing.

But I've seen this too often. Its a contract year. Why can't he play this way every year, or in the same realm? What will he do after he signs? I know what I think.

Too many like Adrian Beltre color my thinking. Granted, his numbers since leaving us 2004 would be fine, but remember the roll into the big deal with Seattle: 2002, 21 hr and .257; 2003, 23 hr and .240; 2004, 48 hr and .334. Then he went 19/.255, 25/.268 and 26/.276.

frank ain't gonna pay kemp what kemp and his agent think he's worth and wants. or if he does, he won't have anything left to pay rest of team, a real baseball person to run the operation, lawyers, jamie, his unemployed kids who once free-loaded for pay for the dodgers, etc.

I said it in March before the season started and I'll stand by it. Take the trade value on kemp july 31. On that date, the Dodgers are likely to be playing at a .480 pace, have 51 victories on the way to 78 for the season and will get far more in return for him than a protracted oh-lets-try-to-sign-him escapade in the offseason that is likely to end miserably for the team even if he does sign with us. He's one girlfriend away from hitting below .250. So says the evidence.

[16blows]

Game, set, match alanw19 (you 'fencebuster', you)...