Dodgers’ Struggles Continue in 11-6 Loss to Brewers

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May 6, 2010

LOS ANGELES — The Milwaukee Brewers scored early and late, piling up runs for the second straight game against the Dodgers.

The Brewers led by four runs after the first, nearly duplicating their start a night earlier. That's when they took a 10-0 lead after scoring nine runs in the second en route to an 11-6 victory in the series opener.

On Wednesday, Doug Davis overcame a shaky start to win his first game of the season, Prince Fielder keyed a four-run first inning with a two-run single and Milwaukee won 11-3.

The Dodgers allowed 10 or more runs in consecutive games for the first time since July 21-22, 2008, at Colorado, which comes to town starting Friday.

"We were very aggressive," Brewers manager Ken Macha said, noting his hitters' penchant for jumping on the first pitch against Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley.

The Dodgers lost for the 10th time in 15 games, dropping consecutive home games for the first time this season.

"We have to get this stuff together," manager Joe Torre said. "Pitching is going to be the main part of what we do. It's the only way you can control the game."

The Brewers are scuffling, too, with just four victories in their last 12. They won for only the second time this season without hitting a home run.

Milwaukee's Rickie Weeks had three hits with a walk and three RBIs, including two in the ninth.

"We've had some good at-bats here. We've just got to keep it going," he said. "We're a team that has some pretty good hitters and we're a pretty good team as a whole. And if we keep grinding, good things will happen. We're an aggressive team and we've got to be that way from time to time and try to get on the board early."

Davis (1-3) allowed seven hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings — just the second time in six starts the left-hander pitched at least five innings. He struck out four and walked two.

He gave up hits to four of his first six batters, including two-out RBI singles by James Loney and Casey Blake.

"We got him here because of the way he pitched last year with Arizona and the way he kept carrying them into the sixth inning and giving them a chance to win," Macha said about Davis. "He's done that only one other time here. We were hoping that we could get him through that sixth inning so he that he would get a real confidence boost. But he should feel good about the way he pitched."

Todd Coffey entered in the seventh with the tying run on second and struck out big-hitting Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp before intentionally walking Loney. Blake grounded out to end the threat.

"We're trying to chop away and cut down the lead," Kemp said. "They just outhit us and put a lot of runs on the board. It's just one of those days."

Billingsley (2-2) had his own problems. He gave up seven hits and four runs in six innings, struck out three and walked two.

The right-hander opened the game by allowing four consecutive singles to left field. Fielder's bases-loaded single scored two runs. Jim Edmonds struck out on a passed ball that allowed Ryan Braun to score. Alcides Escobar hit an RBI triple to make it 4-0.

"They came out being aggressive," said Billingsley, who retired the next eight batters after his early troubles and finished with five scoreless innings before being lifted in the sixth. "I kind of had to change my game plan — throw a little more off-speed and mix my pitches."

Pinch-hitter Garret Anderson snapped an 0-for-17 skid with an RBI single in the sixth that left the Dodgers down 4-3.

The Brewers added five runs in the eighth on RBI singles by pinch-hitter Craig Counsell, Weeks, Braun, and Casey McGehee, whose hit scored two runs.

Notes
Third baseman Blake had two errors — a throwing miscue in the seventh that snapped the Dodgers' season-long errorless streak at six games, and a fielding mistake in the ninth. … The Brewers improved to 8-7 on the road. … Dodgers C Russell Martin made his major league debut on Cinco de Mayo in 2006 against the Brewers. He went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. He went 2-for-5 with two strikeouts and two singles Wednesday.

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