The Los Angeles Dodgers successfully navigated a bullpen game on Monday and now look to repeat that with an opportunity to complete a series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Justin Bruihl again makes a start as an opener, but Mitch White is expected to pitch the majority of the innings. It’s a similar position he was in last week, though the Dodgers ultimately wound up starting the right-hander against the Philadelphia Phillies.
White fared relatively well in the outing but had some command trouble in the fourth inning and it led to what was the decided run scoring. “Obviously I want to go a little longer,” he said after the game.
“It was solid through the first three, and in the fourth they had a runner on and I got a little out of sync and out of rhythm, so that’s something I’m going to work on in my next side. Being out of the stretch with runners on, and kind of separating the feeling of being out of the stretch with no one on.”
White enters 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 16 games (two starts) this season.
The Pirates counter with JT Brubaker, who is 4-12 with a 5.13 ERA. The right-hander has surrendered two home runs in back-to-back starts and overall allowed 25 this year.
Brubaker took the loss and gave up three runs on five hits, but did collect six strikeouts over 4.2 innings when he faced the Dodgers at PNC Park on June 8.
Gavin Lux is back at second base one night after playing third base for the first time in his career. Lux made multiple impressive stops at the hot corner but also committed two throwing errors.
“The thing is I appreciate him being willing to take on the challenge to be over there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the 4-3 win.
“That’s growth for him. … He knows how to make the throw. We’ve seen it in his work. It’s just one of those things that he didn’t finish the play. He’ll be fine when he’s over there.”
AJ Pollock is leading off as both Trea Turner and Chris Taylor get their turns for rest.
The Dodgers enter play with a five-game winning streak and having won 15 in a row against the Pirates.
Dodgers lineup
LF: AJ Pollock
1B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
RF: Billy McKinney
2B: Gavin Lux
P: Justin Bruihl
Pirates lineup
SS: Hoy Park
3B: Ke’Bryan Hayes
CF: Bryan Reynolds
1B: Colin Moran
LF: Yoshi Tsutsugo
2B: Wilmer Difo
RF: Gregory Polanco
C: Michael Perez
P: JT Brubaker
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