Dodgers close on NL West rival DBacks

Dodgers close on NL West rival DBacks : The Los Angeles Dodgers closed within two games of Arizona in the National League West by beating the Diamondbacks 4-2 on Saturday. New Dodger acquisitions Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake hit their first home runs as National Leaguers to complement a strong pitching effort by Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda allowed just one run in 7 1-3 innings, striking out six and walking none — a marked contrast to recent form that saw him give up 20 earned runs in 18-1/3 innings. Ramirez, playing his second game since the Dodgers obtained him from Boston on Thursday, drove the first pitch he saw deep into the seats in left-center in the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Phillies 2, Cardinals 1 In St. Louis, pitcher Joe Blanton won his first game since joining Philadelphia, steering the in-form Phillies past St.... [read full story]