The Los Angeles Dodgers came out of the All-Star break firing on all cylinders as they set a season high with 18 hits en route to a 13-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series.
Los Angeles can now take the series from their National League West foe in a game that has Brandon McCarthy facing the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career. Saturday’s outing is the third this season for the right-hander since returning from Tommy John surgery.
McCarthy enters 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA, 2.88 FIP and 0.90 WHIP, and has gone five innings in each of his previous starts.
Having spent 2013 and part of 2014 as a member of the Diamondbacks, McCarthy has some experience pitching at the hitter-friendly setting Chase Field is. Over his career, the 33-year-old is 3-11 with a 4.49 ERA in 22 starts at the Diamondbacks’ home stadium.
McCarthy struggled there mightily in 2014, going 0-10 with a 5.37 ERA. He’s opposed by young Archie Bradley who faces the Dodgers a second time this season.
Bradley had nine strikeouts but allowed four runs on five hits, including three home runs, over 5.2 innings and suffered the loss his last time out against Los Angeles. He began to come undone in the fifth after firing four no-hit innings.
Overall this season, the right-hander is 3-5 with a 4.64 ERA, including a 1-3 mark and 5.87 ERA at home. The Dodgers did more juggling on their roster prior to first pitch, placing Trayce Thompson on the 15-day disabled list and recalling Zach Walters from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
With Joc Pederson and Thompson both on the DL, Andrew Toles makes a third career start in center field.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
LF: Howie Kendrick
RF: Yasiel Puig
CF: Andrew Toles
P: Brandon McCarthy
Diamondbacks lineup:
2B: Jean Segura
CF: Michael Bourn
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
3B: Jake Lamb
C: Welington Castillo
RF: Yasmany Tomas
LF: Brandon Drury
SS: Nick Ahmed
P: Archie Bradley
