Following a pregame ceremony to add Vin Scully to the Ring of Honor at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants will meet in the rubber match of their three-game series. For Julio Urias, it’s a second time facing San Francisco in as many starts this season.
Urias allowed just one run on four hits over 5.2 innings at AT&T Park last week. If not for an errant pickoff throw in the sixth, it’s plausible he would’ve completed six shutout frames.
Urias is 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 13 innings across three career starts against the Giants. Prior to joining the Dodgers, the young lefty sported a 1.93 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over three starts (14 innings) for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The Giants counter with Jeff Samardzija, who did not face the Dodgers during the four-game series at AT&T Park last week. The right-hander enters 0-4 with a 6.32 ERA, 4.51 FIP and 1.34 WHIP in five starts.
He’s allowed at least one home run in five of six starts, but is also averaging a career-best 25.9 strikeout percentage. Samardzija is 1-3 with a 4.62 ERA in six career games (four starts) against the Dodgers, including an 0-2 mark and 5.40 ERA in three games (two starts) at Dodger Stadium.
Despite suffering from a herniated disc, Adrian Gonzalez is back in the lineup at first base. That pushes Cody Bellinger out to left field, where he’s started in eight of his nine games. Bellinger is batting .345/.406/.655 with one double, one triple, two home runs and five RBI.
Bellinger’s streak of hitting safely in five consecutive home games to begin his career is tied with Ron Fairly and Doug Camilli for second-most in Los Angeles franchise history. Willy Aybar is the all-time leader with six consecutive home games with a hit.
The Dodgers are seeking their third series win at home this season and first series win over the Giants since Sept. 19-21, 2016.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Andrew Toles
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
C: Yasmani Grandal
LF: Cody Bellinger
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Yasiel Puig
2B: Chase Utley
P: Julio Urias
Giants lineup:
CF: Gorkys Hernandez
1B: Brandon Belt
RF: Hunter Pence
C: Buster Posey
SS: Christian Arroyo
LF: Eduardo Nuñez
2B: Joe Panik
3B: Kelby Tomlinson
P: Jeff Samardzija
