Dodgers fall to Washington, 1-0

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Chad Billingsley was as solid on Sunday as he was awful in his previous start, limiting the Washington Nationals to one run over six innings.

But Billingsley’s rebound performance wasn’t enough, as the Dodgers’ bats were silent in a 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday at Nationals Park.

On a day when the Dodgers’ lineup had no answer for Nationals starter Scott Olsen, Billingsley kept his team in the game.

Olsen, who entered the game with an 11.74 earned-run average, blanked the Dodgers over seven innings, limiting them to six hits and a walk.

Like Olsen, Billingsley went into game with an inflated ERA (7.07). The last time he took the mound, he was roughed up for seven runs and four hits in only three innings in Cincinnati.

The day didn’t start well for Billingsley, who gave up a lead-off single to Nyjer Morgan in the first and followed that up by walking Adam Kennedy. The runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Cristian Guzman and Morgan scored on a groundout to second by Adam Dunn.

The rest of Billingsley’s outing was fairly uneventful, with the exception of the last inning he pitched. Guzman doubled to left-center with two outs, prompting Billingsley to walk Dunn intentionally. Billingsley forced Josh Willingham to hit into an inning-ending groundout.

Andre Ethier, who continues to receive treatment on his troublesome left ankle, was held out of the lineup. He pinch hit for Billingsley in the seventh inning, but grounded into an inning-ending double play.

-- Dylan Hernandez in Washington, D.C.