The Dodgers couldn’t land Cliff Lee. Roy Oswalt looks pricey. Dan Haren, too.
The Dodgers have to think about turning their attention to the next tier of available starting pitchers. And there on cue Friday was Chicago’s Ted Lilly.
Lilly is 34, in the last year of his contract and available. He’s hardly off to his best start at 3-7, but he entered Friday’s game against the Dodgers with a respectable 3.76 ERA. And he has won at least 10 games in the Last seven consecutive years.
But on Friday, he did nothing to further his cause as a potential Dodger, though he was found much to the Dodgers’ liking.
Lilly lasted a season-low 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks. Some guys just don’t know how to do a good sales job.
The Dodgers rode their early output against Lilly for a 9-7 victory over the Cubs, with Chad Billingsley pitching mostly well enough.
The Cubs actually took the early lead off Billingsley in the second inning on two walks, a single and a run-scoring groundout.
But the Dodgers took back the lead for good in the bottom of the inning when Russell Martin hit his first home run in almost two months, a three-run shot off Lilly.
Lilly, originally drafted by the Dodgers in 1996, got into even deeper trouble in a messy third. Rafael Furcal continued his hot hitting with a double and Jamey Carroll reached on a Lilly throwing error.
Andre Ethier singled to score one, Matt Kemp doubled in another and a Casey Blake sacrifice fly made it another three-run inning.
When the Dodgers added yet another run in the fourth on an Ethier hit, Lilly was done.
And not exactly looking like someone who could particularly help the Dodgers.
This was his second consecutive rough start. He gave up nine runs on 11 hits in his previous outing against the Reds. If the Dodgers did trade for him, they would likely have to pick up the rest of his $13-million contract for this season.
Billingsley (7-4), meanwhile, went the workmanlike routine.
He was far from sharp, but made enough good pitches to hold the Cubs to four runs on seven hits. He went seven-plus innings, walking four but striking out nine.
The Cubs scored twice in the ninth off Justin Miller and Jonathan Broxton to make it interesting.
-- Steve Dilbeck
Photo: Ted Lilly pitches against the Dodgers on Friday night. Credit: Kirby Lee / Image of Sport / US Presswire
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