Fri Apr 25 01:54:39 2008

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Salazar, Jackson help D-Backs top Dodgers

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Jeff Salazar homered and Conor Jackson drove in two runs, as the Arizona Diamondbacks downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-4, to split a brief two-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Jackson finished 2-for-4, while Chris Young went 2-for-5 with two runs scored for Arizona, which is off to its best start in franchise history at 16-6.

Edgar Gonzalez (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks to earn the victory.

Chad Billingsley (0-4) surrendered five runs on six hits, but struck out a career-high 12 batters for Los Angeles, which has dropped two of its last three outings.

Jeff Kent doubled and knocked in two runs, while James Loney had two hits and a run batted in. Nomar Garciaparra singled twice and scored a pair of runs.

An RBI single by Jackson gave the D-Backs a 1-0 edge in the first, but Kent tied the score with an RBI double in the bottom-half.

In the second inning, Salazar crushed a two-run homer that reached the seats in right to give the D-Backs a 3-1 lead, but the Dodgers rallied with two runs in the fourth.

Garciaparra singled to begin the frame, stole second and advanced to third on Gonzalez's wild pitch. Following a walk to Kent, Loney laced a single to right that plated Garciaparra and moved Kent to third. After Russell Martin popped out to Orlando Hudson, Andre Ethier drove in Kent with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Arizona then pulled ahead with a deuce in the fifth. With Young on first and one out, Stephen Drew lined a double past a diving Kent. Billingsley then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Young to waltz home and Drew to advance to third. Following a free pass to Hudson, Jackson appeared to ground into an inning-ending double play, but the D-Backs first baseman just beat Kent's relay throw, which allowed Drew to score.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Juan Cruz, who relieved Gonzalez earlier in the frame, struck out Matt Kemp on a nasty slider and got Mark Sweeney to fly out to end the threat.

Los Angeles scratched out a run in the seventh. Chad Qualls took over on the mound and immediately issued a leadoff walk to Rafael Furcal, who advanced to second on a fielder's choice.

Garciaparra then hit a comebacker to Qualls. Furcal broke for third on the play and was caught in a rundown, but Mark Reynolds' throw caromed off the helmet of Furcal and went into right field, which put runners on the corners. Kent followed with a fly ball to center that Young trapped, allowing Furcal to scoot home. However, Qualls avoided further damage by inducing an inning- ending double play from Loney.

Justin Upton provided an insurance run with a sac fly in the eighth and Tony Pena retired the Dodgers in order in the home-half.

Brandon Lyon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his sixth save of the season.

Game Notes

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre and Kent were ejected in the top of the ninth...Cory Wade, recalled from Double-A Jacksonville on Thursday, tossed a scoreless ninth in his major league debut for Los Angeles. To make room for Wade, the club sent Blake DeWitt to Triple-A Las Vegas...The Dodgers left seven men on base, while the D-Backs stranded five...The D-Backs open a three- game series in San Diego beginning Friday, while the Dodgers host Colorado.