Ted Lilly allowed two home runs and four runs in the second inning, as the Dodgers lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Sunday in the series finale at Dodger Stadium. Xavier Nady and Ryan Roberts hit back-to-back home runs off Lilly in the second inning, continuing a bad trend in day games for Lilly. In four daytime starts this season, Lilly has allowed 18 runs in 21 innings, and the Dodgers have lost all four games.
Lilly rebounded after the poor second inning to last six innings, but given the Dodger offense, the damage was irreparable. "He's not overpowering, so he's going to get burned at times. Again, he's going to keep competing and keep us in the ball game," manager Don Mattingly said of his starting pitcher. "If he's not locating, it changes his game. It depends on him being able to throw the ball where he wants and being able to change speeds."
Ian Kennedy got the win for the Diamondbacks, completely shutting down the final seven batters of the Dodgers' batting order. Jamey Carroll and Aaron Miles combined for four hits in their first four at-bats, but Kennedy allowed only a walk to everyone else, pitching six innings. The Dodgers threatened in the ninth inning, with two runners on base off J.J. Putz. Pinch hitter Rod Barajas hit what appeared to be a game-tying home run off Putz, but the ball died at the warning track in center field, into the waiting arms of Chris Young.
Javy Guerra made his major league debut for the Dodgers, pitching a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth inning. In addition, Scott Elbert made his 2011 debut, striking out all three batters he faced in the eighth. The Dodgers scored just five runs in the three-game weekend series against Arizona. The Dodgers open a short two-game series Monday night against the Brewers, with Jon Garland facing off with Shaun Marcum in the opener.
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