Dodgers join the Giants atop NL West standings with 9-3 win over Phillies

For 87 days, the 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.

“When you look at the standings, that’s something to hang your hat on, a little bit,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “But I think the bigger picture is the way we’re going about, preparing every day. Like I always said, the wins are a byproduct of our preparation.”

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 at Dodger Stadium, this time taxing Vince Velasquez for nine runs in 42/3 innings.

The Dodgers operated with savagery at the plate. Howie Kendrick hit a two-run homer to key a four-run second inning. Yasmani Grandal hit 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. And now, no longer does the team trail the Giants.

“That’s just a testament to hard work throughout the season,” Kendrick said.

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