The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from a disappointing weekend with a win on Monday night and now can earn a series victory against the Atlanta Braves.
Doing so would continue to keep pressure on the San Fransisco Giants, who have seen their lead in the National League West cut to just 1.5 games. The Dodgers and Giants meet Friday for the start of a three-game series at Oracle Park.
The Dodgers opted to give Julio Urias, Walker Buehler and Max Scherzer an extra day of rest after their starts last week, which leaves only the first two on track to face the Giants.
Before Buehler gets there, he sees the Braves for the first time since Game 6 of last year’s World Series. Buehler allowed seven hits but collected six strikeouts over six shutout innings to help the Dodgers stave off elimination and eventually go on to win the World Series.
Buehler is coming off a strong outing against the San Diego Padres in which he allowed just one unearned run across 6.2 innings. He exited with the Dodgers trailing but did not factor into the decision due to the game running 16 innings.
“Walker threw the heck out of the baseball tonight. … Yesterday,” manager Dave Roberts joked after the win.
Buehler enters 13-2 with an MLB-best 2.02 ERA. He’s logged at least six innings in 25 of 26 starts this year.
The Braves counter with Charlie Morton, who has enjoyed a productive season at 12-5 and 3.60 ERA. Morton faced the Dodgers at Truist Park back in June, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits in five innings.
The veteran right-hander has pitched six innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of five August starts.
After sitting against a left-handed starter, which is expected to be the norm moving forward, Cody Bellinger is back in the lineup. He’s joined in the outfield by AJ Pollock and Mookie Betts, which moves Chris Taylor to the bench.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Trea Turner
1B: Max Muncy
RF: Mookie Betts
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
C: Will Smith
LF: AJ Pollock
CF: Cody Bellinger
P: Walker Buehler
Braves lineup
2B: Ozzie Albies
RF: Jorge Soler
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Austin Riley
C: Travis d’Arnaud
SS: Dansby Swanson
LF: Adam Duvall
CF: Joc Pederson
P: Charlie Morton
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