By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Final: Dodgers 15, Phillies 5 ❖ Attendance: 28,118
PHILADELPHIA — Six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and 2008 World Series champion Chase Utley returned to Citizens Bank Park to face the Philadelphia Phillies (56-64) for the first time since being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers (66-52) last August.
Receiving a standing ovation from the Philadelphia faithful, the Pasadena, California native known as "The Man," a nickname given by late broadcaster Harry Kalas, surely made his return memorable.
Utley went 2-4 with two home runs — a grand slam and solo home run — with two runs scored, a walk and five RBIs as the Dodgers went on to rout RHP Vince Velasquez and the Phillies 15-5 in the series opener Tuesday evening.
Eleven of the first 12 batters went down in order, eight via strikeout.
With two retired by Dodgers starter RHP Kenta Maeda in the latter-half of the second, Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp produced the first run of the contest with a solo shot to the center field ivy, his 14th of the season.
The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Phillies until there was one out in the top of the fifth, when left fielder Howie Kendrick hit a two-run blast to center off Velasquez, his eighth. Two batters later, Utley hit his 245th home run and 960 RBI of his 14-year career with a solo shot to his team's bullpen, extending the Dodgers' lead to 3-1.
Outside of Rupp's second-inning home run, the Phillies would not pick up another hit until shortstop Freddy Galvis hit an infield single to the left side of the mound with two out in the bottom of the fifth.
The Dodgers added onto their lead in the sixth as catcher Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run, two-out shot to left. Velasquez was then pulled after walking center fielder Joc Pederson. Throwing 111 pitches over 5 2/3 innings, the right-hander allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. It was the third time this season he allowed three home runs in an outing (5/23 @ DET, 8/9 @ LAD), as well as the third time he recorded double digits in strikeouts (4/14 vs. SDP, 5/17 vs. MIA).
Second baseman Cesar Hernandez picked up his third home run of the season and the fifth of his four-year career with a one-out line drive home run to right in the sixth, which cut the Phillies' deficit to three runs. It was just the third hit and fourth baserunner overall allowed by Maeda.
Making his 32nd relief appearance of the season, LHP Elvis Araujo struggled against the Dodgers in the seventh by allowing three runs with the bases loaded: hit-by-pitch of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and walks by Grandal and Pederson. Later in the inning against RHP Michael Mariot, still with the bases loaded, Utley hit his seventh career grand slam to put the Dodgers up 13-2.
The next-half inning, following a single by third baseman Maikel Franco, first baseman Ryan Howard launched his 375th career home run to center. This moved the St. Louis native into sole possession of 76th place on the all-time home runs list, one shy of 24-year Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk (376).
An inning later with the bases loaded and nobody out, pinch hitter Tommy Joseph hit a sacrifice fly RBI to center. Joseph is batting .179 over 56 at-bats with runners in scoring position in his rookie season with two doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs.
The Dodgers added two runs in the top of the ninth, a RBI triple by Kendrick and a RBI ground out to third by infielder Rob Segedin.
Game Notes:
- Utley's grand slam was his second a Dodger and his first in Philadelphia since June 1, 2005 against RHP LaTroy Hawkins and the San Francisco Giants. It was his first multi-home run game at Citizens Bank Park since July 23, 2011 against the San Diego Padres.
- Maeda earned his team-leading 12th win of the season, allowing two runs on three hits, one walk and nine strikeouts through six innings.
- Rupp has four home runs and 12 RBIs through nine games in the month of August. He has at least one RBI in seven of his last nine games. Howard has four home runs in August through eight games.
- Hernandez reached base for the 22th straight game with his third inning walk, outfielder Peter Bourjos for the team's longest such streak this season.
- With Velasquez's outing lasting just 5 2/3 innings, the Phillies starting rotation has now gone a season-high seven consecutive games with less than six innings pitched in an outing.
The Phillies will look to avoid their fifth consecutive series defeat to the Dodgers Wednesday evening as rookie RHP Jake Thompson makes his third big league start against former Tampa Bay Rays 2008 World Series counterpart LHP Scott Kazmir (Time: 7:05 p.m.; TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP).
