The Los Angeles Dodgers had their eight-game home winning streak snapped on Friday in unusual fashion as the bullpen failed to protect a late lead. The Dodgers now need a win against the San Diego Padres to avoid losing their first series since June 5-7.
Hyun-Jin Ryu takes the mound with back-to-back impressive starts to build on. Ryu’s last two outings came in front of a national audience on ESPN and he turned in seven shutout innings each time.
Against the San Francisco Giants, he allowed five hits and issued one walk while collecting seven strikeouts. More recently against the New York Mets, Ryu permitted just one hit and struck out without issuing a walk.
The 30-year-old has yet to face the Padres this season, but enters Saturday’s start with six career outings against them. In those starts, Ryu is 4-1 with an impressive 2.19 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.
In his last three starts at Dodger Stadium, Ryu has a combined four runs in 17 innings pitched. For his career, Ryu is 13-10 with a 3.24 ERA at home in 36 games (35 starts). Overall this season, he’s 4-6 witha 3.53 ERA, 118 ERA+ and 1.28 WHIP.
The Padres counter with Jhoulys Chacin, who’s success this season is very clearly defined by whether he’s starting at home or on the road. In 12 starts at Petco Park, he’s 7-2 with an MLB-best 1.86 ERA.
But on the road, Chacin is 4-6 with a 7.36 ERA in 11 starts. He’s faced the Dodgers three times this season, with the first instance coming on Opening Day. Chacin allowed nine runs in 3.1 innings that afternoon, then went on to hold the Dodgers to one run in 10.1 innings over the next two meetings.
Chacin is 10-8 with a 4.20 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 23 career games (22 starts) against the Dodgers. Justin Turner is 5-for-13 off the right-hander, with two RBIs and two walks. Yasiel Puig is a career 6-for-17 against Chacin, while Chase Utley is 5-for-16.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
CF: Joc Pederson
C: Yasmani Grandal
2B: Chase Utley
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Padres lineup:
CF: Manuel Margot
2B: Carlos Asuaje
LF: José Pirela
RF: Hunter Renfroe
1B: Wil Myers
SS: Yangervis Solarte
3B: Cory Spangenberg
C: Austin Hedges
P: Jhoulys Chacin
