The Los Angeles Dodgers can secure a third series win on their 10-game homestand Saturday afteroon in a nationally televised game against the Chicago Cubs. Los Angeles enters play 2-2 this season against the reigning World Series champions.
Brandon McCarthy starts the second game of the series and faces the Cubs a second time this season. McCarthy took the mound in the Dodgers’ lone win at Wrigley Field in April.
During that outing, he allowed just four hits and three walks over six scoreless innings. The 33-year-old recorded four strikeouts and also induced three timely double plays.
In four career games (three starts) against the Cubs, McCarthy is 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He’s faced them just the one time as a member of the Dodgers.
In 14 starts at Dodger Stadium, McCarthy is 6-1 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. During the 2017 season, he has allowed nine runs in 22 innings pitched at home, while striking out 20 batters. Overall this season, the right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.76 ERA, 3.08 FIP and 1.18 WHIP.
The Cubs counter with John Lackey, who looks to rebound from a loss suffered to the San Francisco Giants. In the start, the veteran surrendered five runs on seven hits in just five innings of work.
It was a third time in the past four starts where Lackey has completed 5.1 innings or less. He was on the losing end of McCarthy’s start against the Cubs last month. Though, Lackey did limit the Dodgers to just one run on four hits, and set a season high with 10 strikeouts in six innings.
In six appearances (five starts) at Dodger Stadium, Lackey is 1-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Throughout his 15-year career, the one-time All-Star has 13 appearances (12 starts) against the Dodgers. In those outings, Lackey is 6-4 with a 1.73 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.
This season, Lackey is 4-4 with a 4.82 ERA, 4.94 FIP and 1.40 WHIP. Adrian Gonzalez is 7-for-23 in his career off the veteran, with a double and four RBIs.
With a right-hander on the mound, Kyle Schwarber returns to the Cubs lineup. Although Schwarber himself is struggling this season, he’ll look to provide a spark after Chicago was held to just two hits in the series opener.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
3B: Kiké Hernandez
LF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Chase Utley
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Brandon McCarthy
Cubs Lineup:
CF: Jon Jay
LF: Kyle Schwarber
3B: Kris Bryant
1B: Anthony Rizzo
2B: Ian Happ
RF: Jason Heyward
C: Miguel Montero
SS: Addison Russell
P: John Lackey
