After struggling to get the bats going against Justin Verlander on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers look for redemption over the Houston Astros in the second of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
The club sends Kenta Maeda to the mound for his 19th start of the season, as he looks to rebound from a disappointing outing against the Milwaukee Brewers. In only 4.2 innings pitched, he allowed 10 baserunners and four runs with four strikeouts to three walks.
The performance further inflated Maeda’s numbers since the start of the unofficial second half. He has compiled a 6.17 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 11.2 innings pitched, already yielding three home runs in contrast to six across 18 first half appearances.
All-in-all, Maeda enters with a 7-6 record, 3.48 ERA, 3.10 FIP and 1.24 WHIP in 98.1 innings pitched this season. He is striking out a career-best 10.9 batters per nine innings, though that has come at the expense of his command, as he is walking a career-high 3.2 batters per nine on the flip side.
Maeda found success against the Astros in a relief role during the 2017 World Series, posting a 1.59 ERA and 1.24 WHIP against them across 5.2 innings (four games).
Houston counters with Lance McCullers Jr., who was dominant against the Texas Rangers in what was a tough-luck loss on July 29. Over 5.1 innings pitched, he allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) with 11 strikeouts against no walks.
McCullers is 10-6 this season, having pitched to a 4.06 ERA, 3.62 FIP and 1.20 WHIP over 122 innings (21 starts) to date. He has reverse splits on the season as righties have hit .260 against him while lefties only .179, which is why Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has put out a lineup of eight right-handed hitters.
He made two starts against the Dodgers in the World Series last year — including the deciding seventh contest — to which he put up a 3.52 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 7.2 innings pitched.
Joc Pederson became the first Dodgers player since 1951 to hit leadoff home runs in back-to-back games when he took Verlander deep in the series opener. He will not get a chance to do it for a third straight day though as he is out of the lineup.
Kiké Hernandez gets a rare start at first base with the struggling Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger both getting a day of rest. Brian Dozier also returns to the Dodgers lineup. He has homered in both of his starts with the club so far.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Manny Machado
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Matt Kemp
2B: Brian Dozier
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Kenta Maeda
Astros lineup:
CF: George Springer
RF: Josh Reddick
SS: Alex Bregman
3B: Yuli Gurriel
2B: Marwin Gonzalez
1B: Tyler White
C: Martin Maldonado
LF: Tony Kemp
P: Lance McCullers
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