Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Matt Kemp was 3-for-5, drove in three runs and scored twice as the Los Angeles Dodgers demolished the Florida Marlins, 13-1, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Dolphin Stadium.
Rafael Furcal went 5-for-6 and scored three runs for the Dodgers, who picked up their fifth straight win. Blake DeWitt went 2-for-5 with four RBI, while James Loney smacked a three-run triple and Russell Martin was 2-for-2, belted a solo home run and walked three times.
Chad Billingsley (1-4) broke out of his season-long slide, picking up his first win after allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight over seven innings.
"I've been pitching fairly well," Billingsley said. "It was big when we scored some runs early. That made me relax a little bit and just really focus on pounding the zone and getting ahead of hitters."
Scott Olsen (1-3) took the loss for the Marlins, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings, while four Florida relievers combined to surrender nine runs - six earned - over three innings. Jeremy Hermida was 2-for-3, tripled and drove in Florida's lone run.
Holding a 4-1 lead, the Dodgers exploded against the Marlins relievers in the later innings.
Furcal roped a double down the line in right off Logan Kensing to start the seventh, and with one out Kemp drew a walk to put runners on first and second. After Jeff Kent flew out to left, Furcal and Kemp pulled off a double steal, then Kensing intentionally walked Martin before being lifted for Taylor Tankersley.
Loney greeted Tankersley with a shot over Alfredo Amezaga's head in center that bounced high off the wall as the bases cleared on Loney's first triple of the season. Andruw Jones drew a walk, then DeWitt ripped an RBI single to right to cap the four-run inning.
Kemp knocked in two more runs against Matt Lindstrom in the eighth when he singled to right to bring both Furcal and Andre Ethier home. Justin Miller came on and loaded the bases with two outs after an error and two walks, and DeWitt brought three runs home with LA's second bases-clearing triple of the game.
Martin gave the Dodgers an early one-run lead, starting the second by launching a long homer to left.
"It feels pretty good," Martin said. "Feels like everybody's having good at- bats out there. We're being patient when we need to and just putting good swings on the ball. We had our troubles early on but now it feels like we're starting to come together, so it feels nice."
Los Angeles added two more in the third when Billingsley worked a leadoff walk, then Furcal singled to center. Ethier's bunt moved the runners up, and Kemp brought them both in with a single to left.
Kemp went back to work in the fifth, crushing a two-out double to left, then Kent drove him home by yanking a single to left.
Billingsley avoided any trouble until the fifth, when the Marlins loaded the bases with two outs. Hermida smashed a grounder to third that bounced high off DeWitt's glove to Furcal, but the throw to first was late and Amezaga came in to score.
Game Notes
Hiroki Kuroda (1-2) will take the hill for the Dodgers on Thursday as they try to complete the sweep against Burke Badenhop (0-2)..The Dodgers are 14-13 through the end of April, while the Marlins are 15-12..Hong-Chih Kuo pitched the final two innings for the Dodgers, allowing two hits and fanning four..Each team stranded nine men on base..Furcal hit his 12th double off the season and had 17 extra-base hits in April..Furcal's five-hit game was the first for Los Angeles this season.