PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phillies' new stadium is becoming quite a hitters' park.
Mike Lieberthal hit a tiebreaking homer and Pat Burrell connected twice, leading the Phillies to an 8-7 victory over the slumping Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
Bobby Abreu and Jim Thome also homered for the Phillies, who have won eight of 11 to move within a half-game of first-place Florida in the NL East.
"It's unbelievable how the ball is carrying here," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "They're flying out of here right now and it's not even that warm out."
Abreu, Burrell and Thome started the fourth inning with consecutive homers -- the second time this season the trio connected in succession.
"It's unique, it's pretty awesome to be a part of it," Thome said.
Jason Grabowski homered twice and Adrian Beltre added a three-run shot for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who have lost five straight.
"Nine homers is a lot," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. "A few were struck very well and a few were questionable."
Vicente Padilla (3-4) allowed six runs and nine hits in seven innings to win his third start in a row. Amaury Telemaco pitched a perfect eighth, and Tim Worrell gave up a solo homer to Olmedo Saenz in the ninth before finishing for his third save in five chances -- one day after blowing an opportunity in Colorado.
A 41-minute rain delay held up the eighth inning after Marlon Byrd's RBI single made it 8-6.
Lieberthal hit the first pitch from reliever Guillermo Mota (2-1) into the left-center seats to give the Phillies a 7-6 lead in the sixth. Burrell's sacrifice fly in the fifth tied it at 6.
Wilson Alvarez gave up six runs and eight hits, including four homers, in five innings. Alvarez, a converted reliever, hadn't allowed a run in his first two starts. His 18-inning scoreless streak was snapped when Burrell hit a two-run homer in the first.
"I made my pitches. They just beat me," Alvarez said.
Padilla had allowed one earned run in each of his last two starts -- both wins. He gave up five runs in the first two innings, but Bowa left the right-hander in because his bullpen was depleted.
"We were in dire straits," Bowa said. "He did what he had to do."
Padilla retired the first two hitters he faced before Milton Bradley singled and Shawn Green walked. Beltre then hit a 1-0 pitch into the left-field seats for his 11th homer, giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.
Burrell's two-run shot cut it to 3-2, but Grabowski hit a two-run homer in the second that reached the second deck in right field, and a solo homer to straightaway center in the fourth to make it 6-2.
"It's a hitters' park, but we have to make pitches, too," Burrell said, adding that he prefers hitting here to Coors Field in Colorado.
Notes
- The nine homers were the most in a game during the first season at Citizens Bank Park.
- The Phillies (20-17) are 15-8 since being swept by the Marlins April 20-22.
- Beltre was 1-for-9 against Padilla before his homer -- his previous hit also was a homer.
- Burrell has hit two homers eight times in his career.
- The Dodgers had allowed just three homers in 114 innings coming into the game.
- Ken Griffey Sr., George Foster and Dan Driessen of the Cincinnati Reds were the last to hit three straight homers against the Dodgers, on May 27, 1980.
- The Dodgers have lost five in a row in Philadelphia, including four at Veterans Stadium.
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
