Dana Eveland makes it a return to remember in Dodgers' 6-4 win at Pittsburgh

Dana Eveland looked lost, looked buried.

The last time the left-hander pitched in a major-league game was on June 23, 2010. In 2 2/3 innings for the Pirates that day, he gave up six earned runs. He was left with a 6.79 ERA and sent to the minors.

Pittsburgh was his fifth major-league team in six years. His career did not look promising.

In the off-season, he signed with the Dodgers and no one really noticed. It was a flier. He was sent to triple-A Albuquerque to begin the season and stayed there for 25 starts. Then on Thursday afternoon he got his first start for the Dodgers, in -– of all places -– Pittsburgh.

The 27-year-old from Palmdale High School made perseverance pay off, holding the Pirates to one run and six hits over eight innings and leading the suddenly hot Dodgers to a 6-4 victory in a makeup game.

For the Dodgers, it marked their fourth consecutive victory and ninth in 10 games.

The Dodgers helped make it an easy return by scoring three times in the first inning against the quickly fading Pirates.

Dodgers walk the line, not over it in 7-6 loss to Rockies

The Dodgers were hoping for a walkover, but it wasn’t to be.

The Rockies issued six walks Sunday, and it still wasn’t enough. The Dodgers’ five-game winning streak snapped with a 7-6 loss to Colorado.

In another hot afternoon game, the Rockies scored five times in the first against 21-year-old Nathan Eovaldi and made it hold up.

Eovaldi, who may have only one more start as the Dodgers seek to preserve the rookie’s arm, threw less than five innings for the first time in his five career starts.

This time Eovaldi (1-2) went four innings, allowing the five runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Jhoulys Chacin, who entered the game with a career 1.98 ERA against the Dodgers, was hardly as sharp as the Dodgers have seen him, but he made the early support hold up to raise his record to 11-10.

The Rockies scored all five of their runs in the first inning. Troy Tulowitzki singled in the first run, and then with the bases loaded, Kevin Kouzmanoff’s blooper fell off the wrist of an awkwardly diving Trent Oeltjen in right to clear the bases.

Oeltjen started in right for Andre Ethier, after he complained of knee pain in a Sunday column by The Times’ T.J. Simers.

Eliezer Alfonzo singled in Kouzmanoff for the fifth run.

The Dodgers scored single runs in the first on a Justin Sellers double and in the third on doubles by Sellers and James Loney.

The Rockies got the two back against Blake Hawksworth in the fifth on doubles by Carlos Gonzales and Seth Smith, and then a single by Kouzmanoff.

The Dodgers scored twice in the sixth without benefit of a hit or an error -- after Chacin walked the bases loaded -- on a groundout and sacrifice fly. They added two more in the seventh after Matt Kemp walked, stole his 34th base and scored on an Aaron Miles double. Oeltjen singled in Miles, but the Dodgers were left one run short.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Dodgers shortstop Justin Sellers in the fourth inning Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Dodgers blow 6-0 lead, swept by Phillies with 9-8 loss

How low can they go? Lower, still lower …

To the Dodgers’ swelling list of season lowlights, make room for Wednesday afternoon’s nifty little fiasco.

That would be the one where they jumped to an early 6-0 lead over the Phillies, only to see their defense, starting pitcher Chad Billingsley and the bullpen blow it in a staggering 9-8 loss before an announced crowd of 41,807 (there was maybe half that actually in attendance).

The saddest part?

Even after the Dodgers jumped on Phillies starter Vance Worley for five runs in the first and added one more in the third to go up 6-0, the lead never felt safe. A Philadelphia comeback somehow seemed inevitable.

It was some kind of combo vibe between how well the Phillies have been playing, and how disappointing the Dodgers have been.

The comeback gave the Phillies the three-game series sweep and handed the Dodgers their fourth consecutive defeat.

The afternoon hardly appeared headed toward the Dodgers’ 64th loss of the season when they knocked Worley around for five runs in the first.

Worley came in 8-1 and with a 2.35 earned-run average -- and he’s their No.5 starter -- but was fortunate to escape the first.

After a pair of one-out walks, Matt Kemp singled in the first run before Juan Rivera drove a three-run homer to left. It was Rivera’s first home run since his first at-bat as a Dodger on July 15.

Another walk and a Dioner Navarro double quickly gave the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.

The Phillies, however, remained calm. They reeked the confidence of a team with the best record in baseball.

Even after the Dodgers pushed it to a 6-0 lead in the third when Kemp doubled and scored on a Rivera single, the Phillies seemed in the eye of the storm.

The Phillies got three back in the fourth on a two-run homer by Hunter Pence, a James Loney error and single by Worley. Philadelphia pitchers continued to hurt the Dodgers at the plate.

Philadelphia added two more in the fifth after a walk and Ryan Howard hit. An error by Casey Blake allowed one run to score, and a groundout scored a second.

Billingsley left after giving up five runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings, on seven hits and three walks. He did not strike out a batter.

It was a 7-5 Dodgers lead when Philadelphia completed its comeback with four runs in the sixth inning. After Hong-Chih Kuo gave up a one-out walk, Blake Hawksworth (2-3) surrendered a hit to Rollins before Chase Utley singled in two to tie the score.

Not that the Phillies were done. Ryan Howard followed with an opposite-field blast for his 25th home run that gave the Phillies a 9-7 lead.

The Dodgers got one back in the ninth inning after singles by Blake and Kemp put runners at the corners, and a Rivera groundout brought home Blake. But Ryan Madson then closed it for his third save in as many games.

Dodgers, king of the limbo.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers left fielder Juan Rivera connects for a three-run home run in the first inning against the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

When the numbers look bad for the Dodgers

The Dodgers didn't get to 52-62 by a twist of fate. First, a scroll through some bad numbers:

-- The Dodgers are 14-43 when the opposing team scores first.

-- They are 4-50 when they trail after six innings, 2-53 when they trail after seven and 1-57 when they trail after eight.

-- They are 14-50 when they score three or fewer runs.

-- They are 5-46 when they have fewer hits than their opponent.

-- In 22 games, Hong-Chih Kuo has a 12.46 ERA, and opponents are batting .296 against him.

-- Eugenio Velez is 0-for-19.

Nathan Eovaldi makes it a debut to remember in 5-3 Dodgers win

Nothing like a first time. First time driving a car, first kiss, first game in the majors.

OK, so most will never step on a major league field. For a precious chosen few, though, it’s the memory of a lifetime.

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, all of 21 and fresh up from double-A Chattanooga, made his debut Saturday night against Arizona.

And if it wasn’t completely perfect, it was close enough, with Eovaldi going five innings to pick up the victory in the Dodgers’ 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

A night that gave the Dodgers another scare when rookie shortstop Dee Gordon left the game with an injured shoulder (it is not serious) and saw catcher Rod Barajas collect three hits and drive in two runs, it was the fresh-faced Eovaldi who created the buzz.

Eovaldi was rushed to the majors when another prized right-hander from Chattanooga, Rubby De La Rosa, was lost to the Dodgers for the season with an elbow injury.

So the call went to the young Eovaldi, and he responded. He overcame one shaky inning to hold the Diamondbacks to two runs. For one night, he looked a lot like a pitcher who belonged.

This time Dodgers can't muster a run in loss to Padres

Come on, that’s only fair.

One night after beating the Padres, 1-0, the Dodgers experienced the wrong kind of 180.

Wednesday night the Padres returned the favor with a 3-0 victory that ended a losing streak against the Dodgers at five games. It was the 11th time the Dodgers have been shut out this season.

Left-hander Ted Lilly, who had been fairly awful in his last eight starts (7.02 earned-run average), was pretty darn good against the Padres, and lost. He gave up one run in his six innings.

Ten guesses how Lilly gave up the run. OK, one guess.

Yep, a home run. A shot by Jason Bartlett to lead off the sixth inning.

Please ask later: Do you believe in Javy Guerra?

Joe Block was seriously ticking me off.

"Do you believe in Javy Guerra?"’ he kept asking.

It was Tuesday night on "Dodger Talk," the postgame show he hosts with Josh Suchon on KABC-AM (790).

"Do you believe in Javy Guerra?"

Ugghhhhh! No more. He must have asked a half-dozen times. I was thinking what kind of bodily harm I would have to do to Block at the next homestand. He was driving me nuts because he kept asking a question for which I had no comfortable answer.

Guerra, the unexpected closer, had just shut down the Padres in order Tuesday. Which only left him a perfect nine-for-nine in save opportunities, 2-0 and with a 1.78 ERA.

"Do you believe in Javy Guerra?"’

What's not to believe?

Farewell performance? Dodgers can't give Hiroki Kuroda support

Hiroki Kuroda should approve a trade just so he can go somewhere and undergo a completely different experience -- run support. Such a concept.

Kuroda pitched well again Wednesday, got zero support again, and lost again. A regular two-month theme.

He allowed one run in his six innings, and left trailing 1-0.

The Dodgers were unable to scratch a single run against Aaron Cook, who came in 1-5 with a 5.84 ERA. They ultimately lost, 3-1, to snap a four-game winning streak before an announced crowd of 29,976 at Dodger Stadium.

Several teams are interested in acquiring Kuroda prior to Sunday’s nonwaiver trading deadline, but the right-hander has a complete no-trade clause in his contract. And he wants to respond to trade requests only once they’re formally made.

How’s this for packing-the-wagon incentive: In his last 10 starts for the Dodgers, Kuroda has a 2.66 ERA and is 1-8. The Dodgers have scored an average of 2.0 runs in those 10 starts.

And can we help you with your bags, sir?

Dodgers show some life, rally for 7-6 win on Rafael Furcal double

Rare as water in the desert, and just about as needed, the Dodgers managed one of their best comebacks of the season Saturday.

Down 6-2 after just three innings, they scored three times in the bottom of the inning, tied it in the seventh on a wild pitch and then won it in the ninth thanks to a trio of hit-starved batters.

Rod Barajas snapped an 0-for-22 streak with a leadoff single in the ninth. He was erased on a would-be Trent Oeltjen sacrifice fly, but Jamey Carroll (1 for his last 21) singled and then Rafael Furcal (5 for 49) doubled into the left-center gap to score Oeltjen.

The Dodgers, who were just 3-45 when trailing after six innings, had rallied for a 7-6 victory before an announced crowd of 34,590.

It was only the third time all season the Dodgers have come back from a four-run deficit.

Don't look now, but Dodgers have won three straight; Andre Ethier, Chad Billingsley lead 6-1 win over Tigers

Meanwhile, back at the yard, a strange occurrence.

The Dodgers won again, won with the kind of pitching they were built around, won without Matt Kemp having to do a single heroic thing, won for the third time in as many games.

The Dodgers fairly knocked the Detroit Tigers around, winning 6-1 Tuesday as Andre Ethier crushed a two-run homer and right-hander Chad Billingsley started to get back on track.

The little three-game winning streak matched their season high, something they’ve accomplished three other times this season. If they scratch out a fourth consecutive victory Wednesday afternoon, it will also mark their first series sweep.