The Los Angeles Dodgers came up with timely hitting to force extra innings on Friday night but their continued offensive woes were a factor in losing to the San Francisco Giants. It moved the Dodgers back into second place in the National League West and further heightened the series.
A loss on Saturday will mean L.A. can do no better than leaving Oracle Park one game behind San Francisco. However, getting back in the win column will give them an opportunity to continue their road trip as NL West leaders.
The Dodgers appear primed to bounce back as the Giants now must rely on bullpen games for the remainder of the series. That pales in comparison to Julio Urias and Walker Buehler set to start the next two nights.
Urias, who leads the Majors with 15 wins this season, faces the Giants for a fifth time this season. He’s allowed a combined 11 runs (10 earned) over 23.2 innings pitched in the previous outings against the Dodgers’ longtime rival.
The majority of that came when the Giants knocked around Urias for seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits in just five innings of work during a May 29 game at Dodger Stadium. That capped off back-to-back starts the left-hander made against San Francisco.
Overall this season, Urias enters 15-3 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 26 starts. He’ll be backed by a Dodgers bullpen that won’t have Corey Knebel available due to pitching two innings as an opener on Friday. Joe Kelly and Evan Phillips also won’t pitch.
The Giants counter with Jay Jackson being first to pitch in their bullpen game. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 18 games this season. Saturday is Jackson’s first career start.
AJ Pollock, who appeared off the bench in the series opener, is back in the Dodgers lineup.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Trea Turner
1B: Max Muncy
RF: Mookie Betts
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
LF: AJ Pollock
CF: Chris Taylor
C: Will Smith
P: Julio Urias
Giants lineup
LF: Darin Ruf
RF: Kris Bryant
CF: Austin Slater
3B: Evan Longoria
C: Buster Posey
1B: Brandon Belt
2B: Thairo Estrada
SS: Mauricio Dubón
P: Jay Jackson
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and more!
