Philadelphia @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2012 ) LA Dodgers 8, Philadelphia 3

The Los Angeles Dodgers have fallen out of first place in the National League West after back-to-back bad losses and aim to reverse their woes when they open a three-game series against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers are 1 1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants after shoddy weekend play against the San Diego Padres. The Phillies have won two consecutive games and look to avenge a four-game sweep by the Dodgers in Philadelphia last month.

The Phillies are 12 games below .500 and need a lengthy hot streak to get into the wild-card chase. Pitcher Roy Halladay returns from injury Tuesday, and first baseman Ryan Howard and second baseman Chase Utley recently joined the lineup. Los Angeles has Matt Kemp’s potent bat back in the lineup after he missed most of the previous two months with a hamstring injury. Kemp was 5-for-9 in his first two games before sitting out Sunday’s game against the Padres.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Joe Blanton (7-8, 4.98 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-5, 4.21)

Blanton has lost back-to-back starts. He gave up six runs (five earned) and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings while falling to the Atlanta Braves in his last outing. Blanton has allowed at one least homer in 11 consecutive starts and has given up 20 on the season. He is 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA in five career outings against Los Angeles.

Eovaldi defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last start when he allowed just one run and five hits in six innings. That was an impressive rebound after giving up 13 runs and 17 hits in 10 1/3 innings over his previous two starts. Eovaldi has never faced Philadelphia.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles committed five errors and allowed six unearned runs in Sunday’s 7-2 loss for its most errors since a seven-miscue game in 1995.

2. Philadelphia C Carlos Ruiz is 8-for-20 during a five-game hitting streak.

3. Dodgers OF Andre Ethier is 6-for-14 with two homers against Blanton.