The Los Angeles Dodgers will attempt to continue their recent success against the Arizona Diamondbacks and leapfrog them in the NL West standings as well when the two clubs continue a crucial four-game set tonight at Chase Field.

Brad Penny threw eight innings of one-run, four-hit ball in Monday's series opening 8-1 win for the Los Angeles Dodgers, moving the club to within a half-game of Arizona for first place in the division.

The win improved the Los Angeles Dodgers to 5-1 against the Diamondbacks this season and 9-2 over the last 11 meetings.

Wilson Betemit homered for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who improved to 4-3 on a 10-game road trip. Russell Martin finished 2-for-4 with two RBI in the win. Jeff Kent fouled a pitch off his left toe in the sixth and left with an injured foot. He is listed as day-to-day after X-rays were negative.

After 23 relief appearances this season, Chad Billingsley will make his second start of the year for the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight. The right-hander lasted just 3 2/3 frames in his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, allowing two runs on a pair of hits and three walks in a no-decision on Thursday at Toronto. On the year he is 4-0 with a 3.26 earned run average.

Inserted into the rotation because of the season-ending injury to Jason Schmidt, Billingsley is 3-0 in four games (two starts) lifetime against Arizona with a sparkling 1.06 ERA.

Edgar Gonzalez will get another start tonight in the place of the injured Randy Johnson, who is sidelined due to a herniated disk but is close to returning. Gonzalez last started for the Diamondbacks on June 16 versus Baltimore and earned the win after five innings of one-run, two-hit ball. He then tossed a scoreless inning of relief on Friday against the Orioles.

Gonzalez is 3-2 on the season with a 4.35 ERA, and is 0-3 in four games (three starts) against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 9.92 ERA. He made a start against them on April 16 and took the loss by giving up five runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 frames.

Conor Jackson went 3-for-4 and scored the lone run yesterday for the Diamondbacks, who lost for the second time in six games. Micah Owings (5-2) gave up four runs -- one earned -- on six hits to halt a 10-start unbeaten streak.

See more at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com