The Los Angeles Dodgers return from a successful 8-2 road trip for a Memorial Day matchup against a Pittsburgh Pirates team they have won 12 in a row against at Dodger Stadium.
This week’s matchup is the second between the two teams this month, as the Pirates previously won two of three at PNC Park in early May. That ended a Dodgers’ winning streak of 16 games in their head-to-head meetings.
Along with not having lost to the Pirates at Dodger Stadium since the 2016 season, the Dodgers are an MLB-best 15-5 at home this season.
They look to continue that dominance with Walker Buehler on the mound as he remains in search of the dominant form that has come to be expected. Buehler enters 6-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over nine starts this season.
He’s been inconsistent in terms of providing length in outings and effectiveness and velocity on his fastball. After laboring early but going six innings against the Washington Nationals last week, Buehler expressed confidence he’s making steady progress toward reaching an elite level.
Buehler did not start in any of the three games at PNC Park earlier this month.
Zach Thompson takes the mound for the Pirates in what’s his 10th game and ninth start of the year. He’s 2-4 thus far with a 5.50 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Thompson had put together three strong outings but is coming off a start in which he allowed four runs in just three innings of work.
Thompson’s inflated ERA is partly due to allowing a home run in each of his first four starts this season.
He faces a Dodgers lineup that’s led by a red-hot Mookie Betts, consistent Freddie Freeman, and Trea Turner being in the midst of a 21-game hitting streak.
Kevin Pillar makes a second consecutive start for what’s also his Dodger Stadium debut. Cody Bellinger was in the original Dodgers lineup but was a late scratch and replaced in center field by Pillar.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
C: Will Smith
DH: Edwin Ríos
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Gavin Lux
CF: Kevin Pillar
2B: Hanser Alberto
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