Nathan Eovaldi and the kids lead Dodgers to sixth straight win, 2-1

Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t supposed to be here. Not in the major leagues, not playing with the big boys.

Not this season, anyway. Probably not even next season.

But a series of injuries to Dodgers starting pitchers caused them to dip into the ranks of double-A Chattanooga for the second time this season and call on Eovaldi. It wasn’t exactly a move of desperation, but it was in the neighborhood.

Only in his sixth and final start of the season Saturday, Eovaldi has at least put his name in the conversation for the Dodgers’ rotation for next year.

Eovaldi struggled with his control, but the 21-year-old showed poise in containing the damage, giving up only one run in his six innings of an eventual 2-1, 10-inning victory for the Dodgers.

It made for the Dodgers’ sixth consecutive victory, a season high. The suddenly hot club has won 11 of its last 12 games and pulled within two games of .500 (68-70) for the first time since May 14.

They won it in the 10^th inning after another promising Dodger, shortstop Dee Gordon, led off with a double. Anyway, his speed turned what looked like a single into a double. James Loney’s bunt sacrificed him to third, and after an intentional walk to Matt Kemp, Juan Rivera’s fly to center field was deep enough to bring home Gordon.

A final Dodger youngster, rookie Javy Guerra, pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10^th for his 15^th save in 16 opportunities.

Dodgers hit into triple play, four double plays in 3-0 loss

Ted Lilly allowed only two hits and lost. The Dodgers had 12 baserunners, left only five on base and didn’t score a run.

When a season has slipped from a team’s grasp, it can get inventive when it comes to losing.

The Dodgers looked like the Thomas Edison of the majors in Milwaukee, falling, 3-0, to the Brewers on a Monday evening that saw the Dodgers run themselves right out of the game.

The Dodgers hit into a triple play and three double plays in the first five innings. In the other inning, they had a runner thrown out at the plate. Then for some perfect symmetry, they ended the game by hitting into a fourth double play.

And it really wasn’t like they were bonehead plays, just some aggressiveness that backfired and some strong play by the Brewers.

Meanwhile, the Brewers used three solo home runs -– by Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and Jonathan Lucroy -– to muster enough offense to ruin the start to the Dodgers’ 10-game road trip.

The triple play came in the second inning after Matt Kemp walked and Juan Rivera singled him to second.

James Loney, who had reached base in nine of his previous 12 plate appearances, then hit a sharp bouncer up the middle. Second baseman Josh Wilson reached, nabbed the ball and then flicked it neatly with his gloved hand to shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt for the force at second.

Betancourt quickly fired to first baseman Prince Fielder ahead of Loney for what seemed a very nice double play. Only, this being the Dodgers, they were going to make it more interesting.

Kemp flew around third on the play and tried to sneak home for the run while the Brewers were busy with the double play. But Fielder spied Kemp out of the corner of his eye and fired accurately to home.

It looked like Kemp was going to be out easily, but with a head-first slide, he thought he had avoided catcher George Kottaras’ tag by lifting his left hand over the plate. Umpire Mike Winters ruled Kottaras caught him on the arm. It was going to be that kind of night.

It was the first triple play the Dodgers hit into since May 12, 2009 at Arizona when it was started by . . . Wilson.

It was a night when most things went right for the Brewers, and precious little for the Dodgers. Particularly for Lilly.

Lilly pitched very well, save for the required solo home run he seems to give up every outing. This one went to Braun in the fourth. Lilly has allowed 26 home runs –- fourth most in the majors -– and 19 have been solo shots.

For the seven innings Lilly pitched, it was the only run the Brewers got. Otherwise Lilly allowed only a single, walked two, struck out six ... and fell to 7-13.

In the eighth, reliever Scott Elbert gave up a solo home run to Lucroy and reliever Mike MacDougal surrendered Hart's homer.

That was more than enough output for ex-Dodger Randy Wolf, who was more than happy to receive all that defensive support. Wolf threw eight scoreless innings, despite six hits and five walks, to raise his record to 10-8.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt throws to first base after taking a toss from second baseman Josh Wilson and forcing out Dodgers left fielder Juan Rivera during a triple play in the second inning Monday night. Credit: Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press

Dodgers use six-run third to down Arizona, 7-4

Welcome to the Dodgers' new world -- spoilers.

It appears to be their road for the next two months, and they at least looked up to the challenge Friday in a 7-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The surprising Diamondbacks came into the game trailing the division-leading Giants in the National League West by only a half a game; the Dodgers were 11 back.

But the Dodgers exploded for a six-run third inning and received six-plus solid innings from right-hander Chad Billingsley to frustrate the Diamondbacks.

The first time the Dodgers faced Arizona right-hander Josh Collmenter, they didn’t have a chance. He shut them out for six innings, allowing only two hits, in an eventual 1-0 victory for the Diamondbacks.

Safe to say, they’ve figured him out in the two games they’ve seen him since.

Dodgers' injury carousel continues: Rod Barajas to DL, Hong-Chih Kuo activated, A.J. Ellis up and Ramon Troncoso down

One’s up, one’s down.

Is it progress when you’re no longer going backward?

The Dodgers placed catcher Rod Barajas on the 15-day disabled list prior to Sunday’s game and called up A.J. Ellis from triple-A Albuquerque.

They also activated reliever Hong-Chih Kuo from the DL and optioned Ramon Troncoso back to Albuquerque.

The Dodgers have now placed 14 different players on the disabled list this season, a total of 19 different times. Entering Sunday, they had missed a total of 449 games. And it’s only June 19.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said Barajas’ ankle injury did not appear to be as serious as originally feared, and it was hoped he could be activated at the end of his 15-day period on the DL.

Dodgers find their Colorado power stroke, then hang on for 10-8 victory over Rockies

Power is not the Dodgers' friend. Sometimes, seems barely a fleeting acquaintance.

The Dodgers began Sunday's game ranked 20th in the majors with 49 home runs -- and 19 had come from one player, Matt Kemp.

So imagine their delight when they fairly exploded for three home runs against the Rockies, powering their way to a 10-7 victory -- which, with the game being played in Colorado, naturally required them to hang on.

Kemp got his seemingly daily home run, a solo shot in the fifth that pushed his National League-leading total to 20. And catcher Rod Barajas followed two outs later with another solo shot, his first home run since May 13.

The biggest blow, however, came from an unlikely source: James Loney.

That hurts: Dodgers let four-run lead get away in 9-7 loss to Rockies

The Dodgers seem to be collecting these things, the painful, haunting type of losses that can tear a team up. The devastating kind that can cripple a season.

They added one more Thursday night, a loss that seemed almost inexplicable considering how the game had been going -- Clayton Kershaw dealing, Matt Kemp absolutely crushing.

The Dodgers twice staked Kershaw to a four-run lead, but the Rockies used a five-run seventh to escape with an 9-7 victory that must have mystified Rockies Manager Jim Tracy as much as Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly.

Kemp was almost personally destroying the Rockies. He homered, tripled and doubled to drive in three, leaving him a single from hitting for the cycle. He struck out in his two other at-bats, including as the potential tying run in the ninth inning.

Meanwhile, Kershaw had shut the Rockies out through five innings. By then, Kemp had hit a solo home run in the fourth, and Andre Ethier had singled in another and Kemp tripled home two more in the fifth.

A 4-0 lead with Kershaw in control? As close to a lock as the Dodgers could hope. Practically a dream scenario.

But be careful what you wish for. The Rockies scored three times in the sixth, two coming off a Troy Tulowitzki double.

The Dodgers, however, came right back with three more in the seventh. Kershaw started the rally with his second single of the night, which in retrospect, might have been part of his eventual problem.

A Dee Gordon bunt single was thrown away for an error by catcher Jose Morales, allowing Kershaw to score. Also perhaps, seriously wind himself.

A Casey Blake double scored Gordon, an Ethier sacrifice fly scored one more, and the Dodgers were back up 7-4. All seemed in control.

Mattingly elected to let Kershaw start the bottom of the seventh, a decision he might like to have back. Kershaw loaded the bases without getting an out.

Then the bullpen imploded. Scott Elbert gave up a run-scoring single to Carlos Gonzales and walked Todd Helton to force in a second run. Mike MacDougal took over and fared no better. He gave up a two-run single to Tulowitzki, hit Ty Wigginton with a pitch to reload the bases and then walked pinch-hitter Jason Giambi to force in the go-head run.

The Dodgers were left 29-35, but knowing some losses stung more than others.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

And the kids shall lead them: Dee Gordon, Rubby De La Rosa spark Dodgers' 6-2 victory as Matt Kemp homers again

Kids, what are you going to do with them? Play ’em, apparently. Lead them to the field and then let them go.

They worked just fine Tuesday night, those precocious little things. Shortstop Dee Gordon celebrated his first major-league start by collecting hits in his first three at-bats and right-hander Rubby De La Rosa, overcoming the shakiest of beginnings, settled down to win his first career start.

They led the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory over the Phillies, who were kind enough to contribute to the kids’ cause by throwing the all around for a pair of costly errors.

They did get a little assist from that old vet, Matt Kemp, who crushed a two-run homer.

Kemp, of course, is now chiseled. Gordon is a wisp of a shortstop, so thin that as he flew around the basepaths commentator Steve Lyons was worried the Dodgers might need to put rocks in his pockets to prevent him from taking flight.

Gordon became the first Dodger to collect hits in his first three major-league at-bats since Mike Piazza in 1992, which may be the first and last time those two physiques are ever compared again.

This time, it's the Scott Elbert as advertised

And now a quick moment to tip the cap to left-hander Scott Elbert (pictured above).

Elbert’s rise to the majors has been an unexpectedly rough ride. In parts of three previous seasons, the former No.1 draft pick had a 6.84 career earned-run average. He was so discouraged, or stressed, he left triple-A Albuquerque for personal reasons the last half of the 2010 season.

When called up last month -- ironically to replace Hong-Chih Kuo, who had gone on the disabled list with anxiety disorder -- he was hardly tearing up Albuquerque (5.02 ERA, 1.53 WHIP).

Yet Elbert, 25, clearly has been a different pitcher thus far with the Dodgers. In 10 appearances, he has yet to allow a run.

And it’s not like he’s facing banjo hitters. Saturday after the Dodgers had stunned the Reds by rallying to tie the game with five runs in the top of the eighth, he came on in the bottom of the inning and struck out Joey Votto, got Scott Rolen on a fly to center and Jay Bruce on a groundout.

Friday he also struck out Votto, the National League’s reigning MVP, and got Bruce, the N.L.’s current player of the month, to pop up.

His confidence has swelled. He prefers use in one-inning situations, and that’s the only way Don Mattingly has used him.

In his 6 1/3 innings, he has allowed three hits, three walks and struck out seven. It’s only 10 appearances -- but 10 extremely encouraging appearances. The kind that make a young pitcher finally stick.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

Who's the Dodgers' closer?

Who’s the Dodgers’ closer?

Manager Don Mattingly responded to the question with one of his own: “How do I know?”

Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, Vicente Padilla and Kenley Jansen are on the disabled list.

Mattingly said that if his team has a ninth-inning lead, he is inclined to call on one of the pitchers recently promoted from the minors to close: Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert or Rubby De La Rosa.

Veterans Matt Guerrier and Mike MacDougal have been the Dodgers’ most consistent performers out of the bullpen, but Mattingly said he would like to continue using them in middle-relief roles. Mattingly pointed to how Guerrier and MacDougal have often entered games in the middle of innings with men on base and limited the damage.

“If one of our younger guys get in trouble, it’s nice to have a MacDougal or Guerrier right there to come in the middle of an inning and know where they’re at,” Mattingly said. “They know how to pitch in those situations.”

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Photo: Left-hander Scott Elbert will be among a group of relievers who could be used in a save situation while a handful of potential closers are on the disabled list. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

Dodgers to sign autographs before Sunday's game to raise funds for Missouri tornado relief

Manager Don Mattingly and eight Dodgers are scheduled to sign autographs before Sunday’s game to raise funds for Missouri tornado victims.

Mattingly and pitchers Scott Elbert, Ted Lilly, Chad Billingsley, Matt Guerrier, Kenley Jansen, Javy Guerra, Mike MacDougal and Ramon Troncoso are scheduled to sign from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The manager and players will sign as part of the team’s Viva Los Dodgers celebration in parking lot six.

A $5 donation is encouraged by the club. Cash and checks will be accepted. All funds are scheduled to be given to the Salvation Army.

The Dodgers said Elbert, who is originally from Joplin, Mo., is spearheading Sunday’s effort.

-- Steve Dilbeck