After splitting the first two games, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers now meet for a series rubber match on the Fourth of July.
Following the game, fans are going to be treated to an Independence Day fireworks show at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers have played 182 games on July 4, going 92-84-2 in those contests. Included in that is a 35-29 record when playing on the Fourth of July after moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. The Dodgers regularly played a doubleheader on July 4 until 1960.
They have won eight of their last nine games on Independence Day dating back to 2014, with their only loss coming to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023.
Landon Knack looks to help the Dodgers continue their success on the holiday while also add onto his personal momentum. The right-hander has allowed just one run in 9.2 innings pitched over his last two outings.
Knack has become a regular member of the Dodgers’ rotation because of injuries to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler.
Overall this season, Knack is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in eight starts across three separate stints with the Dodgers.
He faces a tough challenge Thursday night in Christian Walker. He slugged two home runs on Wednesday and has three in the series thus far.
Walker has hit 17 home runs in 41 career games at Dodger Stadium. Each of those have come since 2018, which is six more than any visiting player during that span. Walker has four homers in five games at Dodger Stadium this season alone, and six in eight total games against the Dodgers in 2024.
Walker’s 1.129 career on-base plus slugging percentage at Dodger Stadium is the highest among visiting players in the ballpark’s history.
The Diamondbacks aim for a series win behind Zac Gallen on the mound. The right-hander is 6-4 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.07 WHIP as he’s been the lone bright spot for Arizona’s starting rotation this season.
Thursday’s start is Gallen’s first against the Dodgers since he earned a win in Game 2 of the 2023 National League Division Series.
Gallen faces a Dodgers lineup that does not include Will Smith, who continues to receive ample rest days of late while also attempting to work though ironing out his swing mechanics.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
LF: Teoscar Hernández
1B: Freddie Freeman
CF: Andy Pages
RF: Jason Heyward
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Chris Taylor
SS: Kiké Hernández
C: Austin Barnes
Diamondbacks lineup
RF: Corbin Carroll
2B: Ketel Marte
DH: Joc Pederson
1B: Christian Walker
LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
C: Gabriel Moreno
3B: Eugenio Suárez
CF: Alek Thomas
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
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