Playing at Tropicana Field for the first time since 2007, the Los Angeles Dodgers broke out of their week-long offensive slump to the tune of 10 runs on 13 hits in a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Trayce Thompson all homered in the win, and Howie Kendrick went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, giving him his first extra-base hit and RBI of the season.
The Dodgers now look to go for a short two-game sweep of the Rays, as left-hander Alex Wood gets the start Wednesday evening.
In five starts this season, Wood is 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA, 3.52 FIP and 1.54 WHIP. He hasn’t had much success in three road starts, going 0-2 with an 8.36 ERA in 14 innings pitched. Wood has never faced the Rays in his career, but in 14 Interleague games (nine starts), he is 3-4 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.
The Rays also send a lefty to the mound for the second consecutive day in Drew Smyly. The 26 year old, whom the Rays acquired when they traded David Price, is 1-3 with a 2.60 ERA, 3.17 FIP and 0.69 WHIP in five starts this season.
He has thrown three career scoreless innings against the Dodgers, giving up just one hit. The only Dodgers with more than one at-bat against Smyly are Kendrick, who is 3-for-9 with a double and home run, and Adrian Gonzalez, who is 1-for-4. Both players are in Wednesday’s lineup.
With the left-hander on the mound, Kiké Hernandez makes a fourth consecutive start. After serving as the designated hitter on Tuesday, Hernandez starts in left field and again bats leadoff. He is hitting .365/.500/.727 with two home runs and four RBIs off lefties this season.
However, the majority of that success came earlier in the year. Justin Turner gets a night off his feet as the DH, which in turn as Charlie Culberson starting at third base. Culberson played shortstop in the series opener.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Kiké Hernandez
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
DH: Justin Turner
2B: Howie Kendrick
CF: Trayce Thompson
C: Yasmani Grandal
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Charlie Culberson
Rays lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
CF: Brandon Guyer
3B: Evan Longoria
1B: Steve Pearce
RF: Steven Souza Jr.
DH: Corey Dickerson
LF: Desmond Jennings
SS: Tim Beckham
C: Curt Casali
