The Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 3-0 win despite being outhit by the San Diego Padres on Friday night, and now can earn a series victory while also keeping pace with the San Francisco Giants.
After losing six of seven to the Padres, the Dodgers have won their last four head-to-head meetings. They look to make it five in a row with Walker Buehler on the mound for his 29th start of the season.
The right-hander is coming off his worst outing of the year against the San Francisco Giants in which allowed six runs on seven hits in just three innings of work at Oracle Park.
“Not a whole lot was very good,” he said after the game. “Probably the worst I’ve thrown in a long time. I’ll get back to the drawing board and improve.”
Buehler fell to 13-3 on the season but remains a favorite for National League Cy Young Award honors as he owns a 2.31 ERA, 3.18 FIP and 0.94 WHIP with 184 strikeouts against 45 walks in 179 innings pitched.
Buehler has faced the Padres three times this season, and in those outings, allowed just five runs (four earned) in 19.2 innings. In eight career starts against San Diego, he owns a 4-0 record, 1.54 ERA and 0.76 WHIP across 52.2 frames.
The Padres counter with Chris Paddack, who looks to build on a solid start against the Houston Astros. He gave up just three runs on six hits in six innings of work en route to a no-decision.
Paddack enters with a 7-6 record, 4.95 ERA, 3.81 FIP and 1.27 WHIP in 103.2 innings across 22 games (21 starts). He has yet to pitch against the Dodgers this season, but for his career, is 1-2 with a 6.94 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 23.1 frames across five appearances.
Despite Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicating Cody Bellinger would be out of the lineup for at least one more game, he is starting in center field. That could be related to Chris Taylor playing through an ongoing neck issue.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
2B: Trea Turner
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
LF: Gavin Lux
P: Walker Buehler
Padres lineup
CF: Trent Grisham
2B: Adam Frazier
3B: Manny Machado
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
1B: Eric Hosmer
RF: Wil Myers
LF: Tommy Pham
C: Victor Caratini
P: Chris Paddack
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