The Los Angeles Dodgers made MLB history during their dramatic comeback win on Wednesday night and now can ride that momentum to a series sweep of the San Diego Padres. L.A. enters the series finale having won eight in a row against San Diego.
Tony Gonsolin is on the mound for his final start of the regular season and potentially the year. That of course hinges on how the postseason unfolds for the Dodgers and what role they believe the right-hander is best suited to fill in October.
As it currently stands, the Dodgers are on track to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Game on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Gonsolin presumably would be among the pitchers available out of the bullpen for the one-game playoff.
But for now his focus is on trying to build off an encouraging outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gonsolin allowed just two runs on three hits and collected seven strikeouts over five innings.
It was his second time logging five innings since returning from another stint on the injured list for right shoulder inflammation that Gonsolin said no longer is an issue. He is yet to face San Diego this year.
The Padres counter with Vince Velasquez, who is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts for the team. Including time with the Philadelphia Phillies, Velasquez is 3-8 with a 6.22 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) this season.
He faces a Dodgers lineup that doesn’t include Gavin Lux. He was removed in the sixth inning on Wednesday and was deemed by manager Dave Roberts to have sustained a neck stinger as a result of crashing into the fence in center field.
Lux was bothered by some residual soreness Thursday, but Roberts said he would potentially be available to pinch-run or pinch-hit late in the game. Even before Lux’s injury, Roberts said the plan was for Cody Bellinger to be in the lineup.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
2B: Trea Turner
1B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
3B: Justin Turner
LF: AJ Pollock
CF: Cody Bellinger
P: Tony Gonsolin
Padres lineup
CF: Fernando Tatis Jr.
2B: Adam Frazier
3B: Manny Machado
RF: Wil Myers
1B: Eric Hosmer
SS: Ha-Seong Kim
LF: Jake Marisnick
C: Webster Rivas
P: Vince Velasquez
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