More bounce in California: Phillies 8, Dodgers 3

Four games against the National League West leading Dodgers seemed like a tough assignment. Through the first month-plus of the season, the Phillies’ offense has not been the powerhouse we hoped for, and a series against the Dodgers’ All-Star laden rotation didn’t figure to help.

But apparently the California climate agrees with the Phillies bats, because they have laid waste to the Dodgers’ pitching staff over the past three days.

On Saturday night, they faced Dodgers starter Julio Urias, who entered the game with a 2.10 ERA. He exited the game a bit higher after serving up four home runs. Those dingers were enough to power the Phillies to a third straight win over the Dodgers, this time by an 8-3 score.

Urias’ defense didn’t do him any favors, as third baseman Justin Turner’s first inning error kept him from getting out of the inning unscathed. Instead, Jean Segura came to the plate with two runners aboard.

Bryce Harper also decided to get in on the three-home run action in the third.

That was it as far as three-run homers went, but Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins added solo shots in the fourth.

The Phillies’ pitching staff didn’t do a superb job of protecting the leads in the first two games of the series, but there wasn’t too much drama on Saturday night. Ranger Suarez pitched seven solid innings to earn the win, Seranthony Dominguez (thanks in part to some good defense by Alec Bohm) capably handled the eighth, and Conor Brogdon marked his return to the big leagues by pitching a scoreless ninth.

The Phillies will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon. Aaron Nola gets the ball for the Phillies, but the Dodgers have yet to announce a starter. If the rest of the Dodgers’ pitchers have been watching the Phillies’ offense over the past three days, I suspect none of them is eagerly campaigning for the assignment.