Dodgers can't finish Phillies, lose NL West lead

LOS ANGELES >> Scott Kazmir pitched one of his best games of the season on Wednesday.

The weakest link in the lineup, Josh Reddick, collected a pair of hits.

The vaunted Dodger bullpen needed nine outs to preserve a victory over a rebuilding Philadelphia Phillies team. The planets were aligned for a win, and the Dodgers still lost.

Freddy Galvis’ three-run home run off Grant Dayton made the difference in the Dodgers’ 6-2 loss. Needing a win to keep pace with the San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers fell a game behind in the National League West standings after spending less than 24 hours tied for first.

Kazmir (9-6) allowed two runs in suffering his third loss in as many starts, but that’s a bit deceiving. The Phillies advanced only one ruer past second base for the first six iings. When Kazmir exited in the seventh, the Dodgers led 1-0.

But the Phillies were threatening. Carlos Ruiz singled and Jimmy Paredes drew a walk on Kazmir’s 100th and final pitch. Dave Roberts brought in Dayton to face the Phillies’ 7-8-9 hitters.

The second batter, Galvis, took advantage of a mistake fastball -- Yasmani Grandal set up high and outside, the pitch was inside at the belt -- to crush a three-run home run to left field. After three scoreless and hitless outings to begin his career, Dayton finally had an ERA.

Things only got worse from there for the Dodgers, who stranded one ruer in the seventh, two in the eighth and two more in the ninth.

Meanwhile, Kenley Jansen saw his ERA suffer when Ryan Howard clubbed a bases-loaded double in the ninth iing. It was only the second time this season Roberts used Jansen in a game the Dodgers were losing. Jansen allowed a run the first time, too.

Reddick went 2 for 5 in his first game as the Dodgers’ No. 2 hitter. He singled off the right-field wall in the first iing, on a ball that landed a few feet shy of a home run. Reddick scored when Adrian Gonzalez hit a line drive off first base umpire Alan Porter. It was recorded as an RBI double.

Howie Kendrick scored the Dodgers’ other run, on an RBI single by Rob Segedin.

The Dodgers will enjoy an off-day Thursday before hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games begiing Friday.

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