Dodgers power past Phillies to win series

LOS ANGELES -- It's all fun and games for the Los Angeles Dodgers right now.

For opposing pitchers, the games aren't as enjoyable.

"Every time you roll around through (Yasiel) Puig, Adrian (Gonzalez), Hanley (Ramirez), then Andre (Ethier), Matt (Kemp) -- you're got to get through there," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said after the heart of his lineup sparked a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday afternoon. "It's kind of like going through Boardwalk and Park Place when they have houses and hotels up there."

The Dodgers monopolized their opportunities Sunday at Dodger Stadium in their eighth win in nine games, collecting 14 hits and a strong start from Stephen Fife to seal their first home series victory over the Phillies in four years. Los Angeles won three of four against Philadelphia this weekend.

With the win, Los Angles pulled within four games of the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West race after trimming 5 1/2 games off their deficit in eight days.

Fife (3-2) pitched seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball, his longest career start, to shut down the Phillies lineup while picking up five strikeouts. Fife made easy work of the Phillies' power hitters, who had just one hit against him, a single by Jimmy Rollins.

"Stephen Fife today obviously gave us a huge outing," Mattingly said. "Seven innings, scoreless. He's kind of solidified our rotation. It seems like we've been back and forth, back and forth with this thing, trying to get the guy in there, and he's throwing the ball well."

The heart of the Los Angeles lineup, meanwhile, is still beating, and still beating up Philadelphia.

Puig broke the Dodgers' rookie record for hits in a month after finishing a home run short of the cycle with a 4-for-5 performance. Puig had two singles, a double and a triple, stole two bases and scored twice. Puig's 44 hits in 101 at-bats were the second most all-time for a player in his first career month, behind Joe DiMaggio's 48.

"I've seen enough of him," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's a good player. Strong, loves to play. He's got a lot of talent. Right now, you look up and see (101) at-bats, 44 hits? That's a pretty good start for a rookie."

Gonzalez added an RBI double, Ramirez had an RBI single to extend hitting streak to 12 games, and Kemp finished with two hits, an RBI and a run. A.J. Ellis went 3-for-4, scored a run and drove in one.

The Dodgers drilled ineffective Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (7-5). The right-hander allowed 10 hits and four runs in six innings before leaving with a mild concussion after being hit in the head by a Fife pitch.

Kendrick was still suffering a headache after the game and will be re-evaluated Monday. He might miss a start.

"They've got some hot guys," Kendrick said. "Hanley's swinging it well, (Puig) had a couple seeing-eye hits. Today they got some key hits."

Los Angeles struck first with a fruitful fourth inning.

Puig singled to lead off the inning and stole second. Two batters later, Ramirez singled him home. Ramirez stole second, advanced to third on a groundout by Andre Ethier and scored on a Kemp single. Kemp advanced to second on a balk, to third on an Ellis single and scored on an Jerry Hairston Jr. single to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

"They got some things on me running the bases," Kendrick said. "They had some stolen bases there, and most of the time that's the pitcher's fault. They had some key hits there -- it was just a tough game all around."

NOTES: The Dodgers called up RHP Chris Withrow from Triple-A Albuquerque after six straight scoreless appearances. Withrow, who was 4-0 with a 1.78 ERA this year in 24 minor league appearances, allowed a ninth-inning run to the Phillies. ... RHP Matt Guerrier was designated for assignment to make room for Withrow on the Los Angeles roster. Guerrier struggled in his last appearance, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings against Philadelphia on Friday. ... LHP Ted Lilly (strained neck) made a rehab start for Class A Rancho Cucamonga but left the game after being hit with a line drive in the leg in the fourth inning. ... Los Angeles OF Carl Crawford made a rehab start for Rancho Cucamonga. He's been out since June 2 due to a left hamstring strain after batting .301 in 51 games. ... Phillies OF Ben Revere reached base in seven consecutive plate appearances before grounding out in the eighth inning. ... Heralded -- and hard-throwing -- Dodgers rookie RHP Jose Dominguez made his first career appearance after having his contract purchased from Albuquerque on Saturday. He threw a scoreless eighth inning.