Dodgers keep rolling, coast to win

There was a standing ovation for Chad Billingsley and a curtain call for Blake DeWitt during a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets that provided equal-opportunity enjoyment for the Dodgers.

Matt Kemp and Rafael Furcal also homered to help the Dodgers win for the ninth time in 10 games and continue their rapid ascent in the National League West. After trailing Arizona by seven games as recently as 12 days ago, the Dodgers moved to within three games of the Diamondbacks -- the closest they have been since April 10.

Billingsley (2-4) helped them get there with his second consecutive victory after four losses to start the season. The right-hander consistently pitched his way out of trouble for most of his six-plus innings, finally succumbing to a bout of wildness in which he fired a couple of pitches out of the reach of catcher Russell Martin in the sixth inning and then walked Luis Castillo leading off the seventh.

But relievers Joe Beimel, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito retired the next nine batters in order to close out the victory.

DeWitt's curtain call came after the rookie third baseman belted his first career homer, a solo shot leading off the fifth inning that prompted his teammates to mob him with high-fives and pats on the back in the dugout -- after initially giving him the silent treatment.

"It was better than I thought it would be," said DeWitt, who had to be nudged out of the dugout for his curtain call by hitting coach Mike Easler. "I didn't really know what to do."

Said pinch-hit specialist Mark Sweeney: "That stuff never gets old."

Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said DeWitt wouldn't necessarily be demoted when Nomar Garciaparra, who has a strained left calf, is ready to come off the disabled list.

"We'll just wait and see when Nomar gets back what our options are," Torre said. "This kid, we know he's a big league player."

Kemp added a two-run homer later in the fifth inning against Mets starter Oliver Perez (2-3), who had just lost an eight-pitch battle in which Juan Pierre coaxed a full-count walk.

Dodgers hitters have made a habit of wearing down opposing pitchers; they entered the game seeing an average of 3.85 pitches per plate appearance, ninth-best in the major leagues. Last year, they saw 3.63 pitches per plate appearance, 29th in the majors.