After taking the opener of three-game series at Chase Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to extend their winning streak to 10 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Doing so will clinch another series for L.A. and winning road trip.
Tony Gonsolin gets the start for his fourth outing of the season and head into the matchup with a 12-inning scoreless streak intact. The right-hander put up his best performance of the year in his last start against the Atlanta Braves and shed the piggyback scenario that he had behind him early on.
Against the Braves, Gonsolin started the game off with five hitless innings, striking out three and ultimately holding the defending World Series champions scoreless in his six innings of work.
With Andrew Heaney going on the 10-day injured list, and some pieces needing to be shuffled around, Gonsolin needs to provide quality innings for the starting staff so a 2021 scenario of bullpen games becoming a regular occurrence doesn’t resurface.
“Obviously with Tony not only preventing runs, but being able to take down a big portion of the game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week. “Now where we’re at and knowing we built him up, you don’t necessarily need that piggyback anymore. He can be a conventional starter, which is great.”
Gonsolin is 1-0 with an 0.69 ERA on the season, has limited opposing hitters to a .196 batting average and will need to build his early success as Walker Buehler did with his first career complete-game shutout on Monday night.
The Diamondbacks send veteran Zach Davies to the mound to take on a Dodgers lineup that is fifth in wRC+ and tied for No. 1 in runs scored.
Davies’ previous outing against the Washington Nationals was his best start of the season as he struck out seven over five innings while allowing just two runs.
Davies has had success against the Dodgers in the past with a 2.11 ERA in 55.1 innings. One of those outings saw Davies go six innings in a combined no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs.
However, he has struggled in his three starts this year, posting a 5.02 ERA in 14.1 innings and not being able to pitch past the fifth inning.
The Dodgers offense slugged five extra-base hits in the opener and Trea Turner extended his MLB-best 35-game on-base streak after going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
Mookie Betts also reached base in three of his five plate appearances, raising his on-base percentage to .412 over his past seven games as he works toward overcoming a slow start.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
DH: Justin Turner
3B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
LF: Chris Taylor
2B: Gavin Lux
Diamondbacks lineup
CF: Daulton Varsho
RF: Pavin Smith
LF: David Peralta
1B: Christian Walker
DH: Seth Beer
2B: Ketel Marte
3B: Sergio Alcántara
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
C: Jose Herrera
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