DODGERS THROW IN SOME HITS, BEAT PHILADELPHIA DODGERS 6, PHILADELPHIA 2.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Funny what a few hits can do. The Dodgers added a fine offensive performance to great pitching and great defense. Not surprisingly, it worked.

Kevin Brown had an excellent start, which was nothing new. Mike Kinkade and Cesar Izturis made spectacular defensive plays. No surprise there. But the Dodgers also gave themselves countless opportunities to score runs - loading the bases in three innings - and capitalized on them.

Paul Lo Duca and Adrian Beltre hit solo home runs as the Dodgers thumped Philadelphia 6-2 on Tuesday - one day after they were shut out - in front of a crowd of 27,815 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers are 8-0 when they score at least five runs and 2-11 when they score two runs or fewer.

On Tuesday, they broke open the game with three runs in the seventh and finished with 12 hits - including four extra-base hits - to give fans a bit more hope that the offense will come around yet.

Phillies starter Randy Wolf struggled against a Dodgers offense that had the fourth-worst batting average in the National League coming in. He loaded the bases in the second, third and seventh innings before he was pulled.

The El Camino Real of Woodland Hills product got out of the second-inning jam by striking out Brown. However, the Dodgers scored once in the third (Lo Duca's homer, his first), once in the fourth (when Brown's sacrifice fly brought Beltre home) and once in the sixth (Beltre's homer).

Lo Duca, who was 2 for 30 at one point on the road trip, was 2 for 5 and Beltre was 2 for 2 with two walks.

Lieberthal hit a solo home run off Brown in the seventh to pull the Phillies within 3-1.

Then Dodgers pulled away with the three runs in their half of the seventh, the key hit being a two-run single by Izturis.

Wolf, who had allowed just one homer in his first five starts, gave up six earned runs on 11 hits and hit two in 6 2/3 innings.

Brown retired the first seven batters before Thomas Perez singled up the middle. Brown struck out Pat Burrell, Jim Thome and Mike Lieberthal, a Westlake High product, on fastballs in the second and struck out David Bell to lead off the third for four consecutive strikeouts.

Brown allowed one run in seven innings and scattering five hits to earn his second win. He threw 105 pitches and provided the Dodgers with their 19th quality start in 27 outings.

The last time Brown started he struck out 11 at Cincinnati but didn't figure into the decision as the Dodgers lost 3-2 in extra innings.

The Dodgers continued to get dazzling defensive plays.

In the fifth, Izturis made a diving stop at short on a Tomas Perez grounder and flipped it back with his right hand to Jolbert Cabrera to get the force out and just miss a double play.

Kinkade, starting in left for Brian Jordan, who has flu symptoms, made an outstretched, diving catch on the warning track to rob Ricky Ledee of a hit - his second highlight catch in a week.

Kinkade received a standing ovation from the fans in the left-field seats. However, in the ninth, Jim Thome scored Philadelphia's second run on Kinkade's error.

Jason Romano struggled in his first start as a Dodger in the leadoff spot as he went 0 for 5.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Local product Randy Wolf hangs his head after giving up a home run to Adrian Beltre on Tuesday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer