The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of another winning streak and can tie their season-best mark of six wins in a row with a victory Wednesday night against the New York Mets. Overall, the Dodgers are 11-1 in their past 12 games.
If that momentum is to be extended, Rich Hill will need to break free from his season-long troubles. Hill is coming off his worst outing of the year, as he allowed seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings.
Hill admitted to fighting the possibility of growing overly frustrated with his performance, so as to remain focused on the task at hand and enjoy the team’s success. The southpaw has yet to exceed five innings in any of his eight starts.
Hill enters 3-3 with a 5.14 ERA, 5.30 FIP and 1.57 WHIP. He’s a lifetime 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in four games (two starts) against the Mets, though last faced them in 2013.
New York counters with Tyler Pill, who was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday. He was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2011 Draft.
Pill is a product of the Cal State Fullerton baseball powerhouse, a team that was eliminated from the College World Series earlier this week. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in four games (two starts) with the Mets this season.
Pill’s facing the Dodgers is his first time drawing a National League West opponent. He last tossed a perfect inning in relief against the Atlanta Braves on June 10.
The 27-year-old will look to quiet a Dodgers offense that’s reached double-digits in consecutive games and three of their past four contests. Cody Bellinger, who has 10 home runs in the last 10 games, is batting cleanup.
Corey Seager, fresh off a second career three-home run game, is batting second. Chris Taylor is sandwiched between the two young sluggers.
The Dodgers made a change in their bullpen, recalling Brandon Morrow and optioning Brock Stewart to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Stewart converted a three-inning save on Tuesday.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
LF: Chris Taylor
1B: Cody Bellinger
3B: Logan Forsythe
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Rich Hill
Mets Lineup:
CF: Curtis Granderson
1B: Wilmer Flores
LF: Yoenis Cespedes
RF: Jay Bruce
C: Travis d’Arnaud
3B: T.J. Rivera
SS: Jose Reyes
2B: Gavin Cecchini
P: Tyler Pill
