Both Interleague series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays this season have been two-game sets scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Just as they did at Tropicana Field in May, the Dodgers won the opening game of the series on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles now looks to complete the sweep at Dodger Stadium and finish 3-1 against Tampa Bay this season. They’ll need to do so without Yasiel Puig in the lineup as right hamstring tightness prevents him from starting a fourth consecutive game.
Puig suffered in the injury on July 21 and was limited to a pinch-hit appearance the following night. He’s available to pinch-hit in the matinee affair and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains hopeful Puig will avoid the disabled list.
Although it abruptly came to an end due to a leg cramp, Brandon McCarthy takes the mound coming off his best start of the season.
The right-hander held the St. Louis Cardinals to just two runs (one earned) on one hit over 6.1 innings. It was the longest outing this year for McCarthy. After returning with a pair of five-inning starts, McCarthy has gone at least six frames his last two turns.
McCarthy is 5-3 with a 2.88 ERA in 12 career games (11 starts) against the Rays, having last faced the club in 2014. Overall this season, McCarthy is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA and averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
Tampa Bay counters with southpaw Matt Moore, who’s been included in trade rumors as the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline rapidly approaches. Moore enters 6-7 with a 4.31 and 1.28 WHIP in 20 starts this season.
He allowed seven runs on eight hits, including two homers, in just 4.1 innings and took the loss when the Rays hosted the Dodgers on May 3. Joc Pederson, who hit one of the home runs, starts in center field and bats seventh.
Howie Kendrick is a career 4-for-12 off Moore, with one double, two RBIs and five strikeouts. Kendrick had his 16-game hitting streak snapped but is atop the Dodgers’ lineup with Chase Utley sitting.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Howie Kendrick
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Scott Van Slyke
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Chris Taylor
CF: Joc Pederson
C: A.J. Ellis
P: Brandon McCarthy
Rays lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Brad Miller
3B: Evan Longoria
LF: Corey Dickerson
RF: Steven Souza Jr.
1B: Logan Morrison
C: Luke Maile
CF: Kevin Kiermaier
P: Matt Moore
