Preview: All-Star Ross Stripling, Dodgers Look To Take Over Sole Possession Of First Place With Win Over Padres
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Fresh off another dominating outing by Kenta Maeda on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers look for similar results when they send Ross Stripling to the mound against the San Diego Padres in the finale of a four-game series at Petco Park.

Stripling makes his first start since receiving word that he will participate in his first career All-Star Game as a replacement on the National League pitching staff.

He earned a win in his last appearance against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on July 7, allowing only one run over six innings pitched with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Stripling enters with 7-2 record to go along with a 2.22 ERA, 2.75 FIP and 1.08 WHIP in 89.1 innings pitched this season (13 starts), having accumulated 103 strikeouts to only 13 walks.

The 28-year-old is 2-3 with a 3.04 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 11.5 strikeouts per nine in nine career games against the Padres. He has especially thrived at Petco Park in his career, pitching to a minuscule 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched (four games).

The Padres counter with Tyson Ross, who enters with a 4.41 ERA, 4.46 FIP and 1.29 WHIP in 102 innings pitched this season (18 starts).

The right-hander looks to bounce back from his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 7, where he yielded eight runs in only two innings of work at Chase Field.

In his career against the Dodgers, Ross is 0-7 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 59.1 innings pitched (11 games). He’s facing Los Angeles for the first time since the 2016 season when he allowed nine hits and eight runs (seven earned) across 5.1 frames.

With Justin Turner getting a day off against the right-hander, Max Muncy moves over to third and Cody Bellinger plays first while moving up to the No. 3 spot in the lineup. Bellinger has swung the bat well in his last 19 games, slashing .288/.333/.616 with five home runs and 11 RBI.

The Arizona Diamondbacks were defeated by the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, so the Dodgers have an opportunity to move into first place all by themselves with a win over San Diego.

Dodgers lineup:

LF: Joc Pederson
3B: Max Muncy
1B: Cody Bellinger
C: Yasmani Grandal
SS: Chris Taylor
CF: Andrew Toles
RF: Kiké Hernández
2B: Chase Utley
P: Ross Stripling

Padres lineup:

RF: Travis Jankowski
3B: Carlos Asuaje
LF: Wil Myers
1B: Eric Hosmer
2B: Jose Pirela
SS: Freddy Galvis
CF: Manuel Margot
C: Austin Hedges
P: Tyson Ross

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