Myers, Rollins help Phillies to sweep of Dodgers

[August 26, 2008]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Brett Myers tossed seven gritty innings, Jimmy Rollins had three hits and two RBIs, and the Philadelphia Phillies completed their first four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 23 years with a 5-0 win Monday night.

Philadelphia remained a half-game behind the NL East-leading New York Mets with its eighth victory in 10 games since losing four straight at Dodger Stadium. The Mets visit Tuesday for a two-game set.

It was the Phillies' first four-game sweep over the Dodgers since Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, 1985, at Los Angeles. Philadelphia had never swept the Dodgers in a four-game series at home.

Los Angeles began the day three games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West.

Coming off his first shutout in four years, Myers (7-10) ran his scoreless innings streak to 16. He allowed nine hits, struck out eight and walked three.

J.C. Romero worked the eighth and Clay Condrey finished the 13-hitter. Only two teams have had more hits without scoring a run in a nine-inning game: The New York Giants got 14 hits in a 7-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 14, 1913, and the Cleveland Indians had 14 hits in a 9-0 loss to the Washington Senators on July 10, 1928.

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (12-10) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings.

Myers pitched out of jams all night. The toughest came in the seventh when the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out. But the right-hander fanned Jeff Kent and retired Manny Ramirez on a liner to deep right to preserve a 3-0 lead.

Myers has been outstanding following a trip to the minors. The Phillies demoted their opening-day starter on July 1 after he went 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA in his first 17 starts. Since returning, Myers is 4-1 with a 1.66 ERA in seven starts.

Rollins snapped out of a long slump by going 3-for-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch, falling a homer short of the cycle. The reigning NL MVP entered 4-for-46 since calling Philadelphia fans "front-runners" in a television interview almost two weeks ago.

Booed throughout the homestand, Rollins got a standing ovation from most of the crowd after he delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the second. They were his first RBIs since Aug. 11.

Rollins lined a double to right leading off the fifth, went to third on Chase Utley's single and scored on Pat Burrell's double-play grounder for a 3-0 lead.

Jayson Werth had an RBI single off Chan Ho Park in the seventh. Werth scored from second base on Chris Coste's bouncer to second to put the Phillies ahead 5-0.

Notes: Ramirez doesn't have an RBI in the last seven games. ... Phillies 1B Ryan Howard is on pace for 213 strikeouts, which would break the single-season record of 199 he set last year. ... Rollins got his first extra-base hit since Aug. 12. ... Philadelphia's previous four-game sweep came against the Mets last Aug. 27-30 at home.

[Associated Press; By ROB MAADDI]

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