LOS ANGELES_For 87 days, the Los Angeles Dodgers stared up at the standings at the San Francisco Giants, watching their National League West rivals extend a division lead that appeared close to insurmountable. On June 26, the Giants pushed the lead to eight games. Later that week, Clayton Kershaw went on the disabled list with an injured back.
But a funny thing happened on the way to San Francisco romping toward a division title. The Giants hit a perilous patch of regression, and the Dodgers regrouped to find an offensive stride unseen during the first three months of the season. With a 9-3 victory on Tuesday over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers have tied the Giants for the division lead.
The clubs will not face each other until Aug. 23. By then, the Dodgers (64-49) may have reclaimed the division's throne. On Tuesday, the offense thrashed a Phillies starter for the second night in a row, this time taxing Vince Velasquez for nine runs before the fifth inning ended.
The Dodgers operated with savagery at the plate. Howie Kendrick hit a two-run homer to key a four-run fourth inning. Yasmani Grandal swatted a two-run shot in the third. Justin Turner continued the pattern with a two-run shot in the fourth.
The lineup compensated for a shaky outing by Kenta Maeda. He lasted through the fifth inning, but operated at a slackened pace and gave up three runs. The offense made up for his inconsistency.
