After getting swept by the San Diego Padres and being no-hit by the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers responded with three consecutive wins to generate some momentum heading into a key National League West series against the San Francisco Giants.
L.A. is 4-3 this season against San Francisco, who were the first team to reach 50 wins and hold the best record in baseball. The Giants are coming off a loss and it resulted in the Dodgers gaining some ground in the NL West standings as they now are 3.5 games back of first place.
The Giants won three of four games at Dodger Stadium when the teams last from May 27-30. The Dodgers welcomed back Cody Bellinger and Zach McKinstry for the final two games of that series, and both players have started to find a rhythm with regular at-bats.
“Just got to keep the bats rolling, having good at-bats, keep putting the ball in play, moving runners over, having good team at-bats and pitching it well,” McKinstry said. “Our bullpen’s been picking up good innings. It’s good to go into a series against the Giants hot.”
On the pitching front, Trevor Bauer makes a second start against the Dodgers’ longtime rival. Bauer held the Giants to one unearned run and two hits while collecting 11 strikeouts over 6.1 innings to get a win Oracle Park on May 21.
Overall this season, Bauer is 7-5 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 16 starts. He’s been among the pitchers under the most scrutiny in terms of spin rates since MLB announced plans to begin checking for foreign substances, but Bauer’s biggest trouble has been home runs.
He’s held opponents to a .173 batting average but surrendered at least one homer in 10 outings. “I just have the worst home run luck in the league. It seems like every time I make even the smallest little mistake, it leaves the yard,” Bauer said after his last start. “So I don’t know.
“I don’t know what to do about that. I think I threw the ball really well, thought my stuff was really good, thought I commanded the ball really well, thought I was sharp. Just every little mistake seems to leave the yard off me. I guess just hope that it can’t last all season.”
Anthony DeSclafani starts for the Giants in what’s his third time facing the Dodgers. He made back-to-back starts against them in May, getting knocked around for 10 runs at home but responding to only allow two at Dodger Stadium.
DeSclafani enters 8-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 15 starts this year. He’s turned in a scoreless effort in two of the past three starts.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
C: Will Smith
2B: Chris Taylor
SS: Gavin Lux
LF: AJ Pollock
P: Trevor Bauer
Giants lineup
1B: LaMonte Wade Jr.
RF: Mike Yastrzemski
C: Buster Posey
LF: Alex Dickerson
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Wilmer Flores
CF: Steven Duggar
2B: Donovan Solano
P: Anthony DeSclafani
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!
