Their paths to consecutive victories at Dodger Stadium has not been easy, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have managed to take the first two games from the Miami Marlins and enter Sunday in position to complete their 10th series sweep this season.
L.A. enters Sunday with the most wins in baseball (66) but trailing the New York Yankees by percentage points for the best overall record. If the Dodgers are to keep pace with their American League counterpart, they’ll need to solve Jordan Yamamoto.
At 4-0 and with a 1.59 ERA, the standout rookie is the first Marlins pitcher in franchise history to begin his career with at least four consecutive wins. Yamamoto made his MLB debut last month with seven shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.
He followed that with another seven frames but has gone five innings or fewer in three of his past four starts. Despite that, Yamamoto has not allowed more than four hits in a single outing. He additionally has 34 strikeouts across 34 innings pitched thus far.
The Dodgers counter with a talented young right-hander of their own in Walker Buehler. He was knocked around early by the Philadelphia Phillies in his last time out but settled in to give the Dodgers six innings and a quality start.
Buehler has largely found a groove since a bit of a bumpy beginning to the season, which he attributes to shaking off rust after not having a usual Spring Training and also taking more control of his game planning.
Buehler is 8-1 with a 3.44 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 18 starts. Like Clayton Kershaw, he’s undefeated this year at Dodger Stadium, going 3-0 with a 3.16 ERA through eight outings.
Just as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated, Matt Beaty is in the lineup one day after hitting a dramatic go-ahead home run to bail out the Dodgers bullpen. The homer was Beaty’s fifth this season and third in his three games since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
“He has taken care of what he needs to take care of,” Roberts said after his club’s thrilling win. “I told him after the game that he earned a spot in the lineup tomorrow. I don’t know where he’s going to play but he’ll be there tomorrow.”
Cody Bellinger is receiving a scheduled day off but is available to pinch-hit and is expected to return Tuesday in the Freeway Series opener.
Dodgers lineup:
RF: Joc Pederson
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Max Muncy
CF: A.J. Pollock
LF: Matt Beaty
2B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Walker Buehler
Marlins lineup:
LF: Curtis Granderson
1B: Garrett Cooper
RF: Brian Anderson
3B: Neil Walker
2B: Starlin Castro
C: Jorge Alfaro
CF: César Puello
SS: Yadiel Rivera
P: Jordan Yamamoto
