The Los Angeles Dodgers have been outhit the past two nights but nevertheless come away with two wins and now are in position to complete a sweep of the San Diego Padres. L.A. has won the last five head-to-head meetings with San Diego and can make it two consecutive series sweeps.
The Dodgers are yet to lose in any of Max Scherzer’s seven starts, though do face a challenge in Blake Snell being in the midst of a dominant stretch himself.
Beginning with throwing 7.2 innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 25, Snell has at least 10 strikeouts in each of his past three outings. The left-hander fired seven no-hit innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the end of August and followed that by holding the L.A. Angels to one hit.
The Dodgers have hit .193 and managed just five runs off Snell in four meetings this season. And although Snell has pitched well of late, he enters with a 7.19 ERA in eight day games this year.
Meanwhile, Scherzer not only looks to help the Dodgers remain undefeated in his starts, but he is also six away from reaching 3,000 career strikeouts.
“That’s a huge milestone and something I’ll be proud of, but that’s just a part of the process of durability and going out there and executing gameplans,” Scherzer said after collecting 13 strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“It’s great to go out there and get strikeouts, but it’s more important to go out there and pitch well and locate well strikeouts are a part of the process of going out there and executing pitches.
“When you have opportunities to get strikeouts, I always want to, because I don’t want the ball in play. Anything can happen when the ball is in play. As long as I’m attacking the zone and working ahead in the zone, that’s my gameplan.”
Scherzer is 5-0 with a 1.05 ERA, 1.33 FIP and 0.77 WHIP in 43 innings pitched across seven starts for L.A.
Chris Taylor is out of the lineup for a second consecutive game as he continues to deal with a lingering neck injury. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts initially expressed hope Taylor would return for the series finale, though then acknowledged he would need another game off.
“This neck thing has really checked him up, so it’s unlikely,” Roberts said after Saturday’s win. “I’m not saying 0% chance, but very unlikely.”
Prior to the game the Dodgers placed Kenley Jansen on the paternity list and recalled Mitch White. Jansen and his wife Gianni welcomed a daughter on Sunday morning. The Dodgers’ closer is expected to return Tuesday.
Dodgers lineup
CF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
2B: Trea Turner
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
C: Will Smith
RF: Steven Souza Jr.
LF: Gavin Lux
P: Max Scherzer
Padres lineup
CF: Trent Grisham
2B: Adam Frazier
3B: Manny Machado
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
1B: Eric Hosmer
LF: Tommy Pham
RF: Wil Myers
C: Austin Nola
P: Blake Snell
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