Preview: Dodgers Begin 3-Game Series With Padres Looking To Stay Hot
Dodgers, Dodger Stadium
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

After clinching a series win over the Colorado Rockies and picking up ground in the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers now host the San Diego Padres for the first of a three-game set. They have won six of their last seven games, so they hope to carry that momentum into the weekend series.

Ross Stripling makes his fifth start of the season and looks to build on an impressive start over the Washington Nationals. He logged six innings of one-run ball and struck out nine in what was his first victory of the season.

Stripling enters with a solid 2.08 ERA, 2.32 FIP and 1.24 WHIP over 34.2 innings pitched (15 games), having accumulated 40 strikeouts to only nine walks. He has a 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings as a starter.

He made a start earlier this season against San Diego in Monterrey, Mexico, tossing four shutout innings while allowing four hits and two walks, striking out five. In eight career appearances against the Padres, he gas pitched to a 4.05 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.

The Padres counter with Clayton Richard, who has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last three outings. In his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he yielded two runs over 7.1 frames of work.

With the exception of his recent hot stretch, Richard has struggled for the better part of the year. He owns a 4.87 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 1.39 WHIP across 61 innings with 52 strikeouts to 21 walks.

In his career against the Dodgers, Richard is 7-7 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 123.2 innings (25 games). At Dodger Stadium, he has posted a 4.14 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 67.1 frames.

Both Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig have been able to get the better of Richard in their careers. Kemp is 13-for-35 (.371 batting average) off him with two home runs and seven RBI. Puig is 9-for-17 (.368 batting average) while also homering twice with six RBI.

Dodgers lineup:

SS: Chris Taylor
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Matt Kemp
CF: Kiké Hernandez
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Cody Bellinger
2B: Logan Forsythe
C: Austin Barnes
P: Ross Stripling

Padres lineup:

RF: Travis Jankowski
1B: Eric Hosmer
2B: Jose Pirela
LF: Franchy Cordero
3B: Christian Villanueva
SS: Freddy Galvis
C: Raffy Lopez
CF: Manuel Margot
P: Clayton Richard

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