The Los Angeles Dodgers close the unofficial first half of their 2022 schedule with an opportunity to sweep the Los Angeles Angels in the Freeway Series, extending their winning streak to four games and improve to 30 games above .500.
Should the Dodgers sweep the Angels, they will join the 1973, 1974, 2017 and 2019 teams as the only clubs in franchise history to reach the 60-win mark before the All-Star break.
Julio Urías, who along with Freddie Freeman and Will Smith was a Dodgers’ All-Star Game snub, takes the mound for his 18th start of the year. He’s coming off a rough outing that lasted just two innings against the Chicago Cubs but did end on a positive note.
After allowing a career-high five runs in the first inning, Urías worked a scoreless second. “It’s one of those days,” he said through an interpreter after the game. “But at the end of the day we came out with a win and that was the most important thing.
“I just tried to throw strikes. Same approach as the first inning. Obviously it was the same hitters, but the results were a little bit different. Just look at the video and see what we can fix and work on.”
The Angels counter with José Suarez, who is a second consecutive southpaw the Dodgers face. Suarez allowed four runs over 3.2 innings his last time out and is 1-3 with a 4.79 ERA this season.
Will Smith enters play on an eight-game hitting streak and having collected at least one RBI in his last seven contests. Smith is the first Dodgers player to accomplish such a feat since Max Muncy had an RBI in seven straight games during August 2019.
Mike Trout was originally scheduled to start for the Angels, but he was a late scratch with back spasms.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
DH: Justin Turner
3B: Max Muncy
LF: Trayce Thompson
CF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Gavin Lux
Angels lineup
3B: Luis Rengifo
DH: Shohei Ohtani
CF: Taylor Ward
C: Max Stassi
RF: Jo Adell
1B: David Mackinnon
LF: Brandon Marsh
2B: Michael Stefanic
SS: Andrew Velazquez
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