After splitting the first two games, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants take the field in the third of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.
Veteran left-handers who are in the midst of pretty opposite seasons in Rich Hill and Drew Pomeranz square off on the mound. Hill has been superb for the Dodgers in his first nine starts, going 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA, 4.21 FIP and 1.14 WHIP with 59 strikeouts and 12 walks in 52 innings.
He has dominated the Giants throughout the course of his career, going 8-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 15 starts. He has struck out 84 and walked 22 in 88.2 innings against them. He faced San Francisco on June 8 at Oracle Park, limiting them to just two runs in five innings to earn a victory.
Unlike Hill, Pomeranz is in the midst of perhaps the worst season of his career. In 12 starts, the 30-year-old is 2-6 with a 6.43 ERA, 5.56 FIP and 1.74 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and 25 walks in 49 innings.
He also pitched in the series earlier this month and turned in a solid outing, blanking the potent Dodgers for five innings while striking out seven. In 11 career games (nine starts) against Los Angeles, Pomeranz is 1-5 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. He has struck out 47 and walked 19 in 47.2 innings.
The Dodgers enter play an MLB-best 29-9 at home, leading the National League in victories (49) and winning percentage (.662), while ranking tied for second in the Majors in runs allowed (263), trailing only the Rays (248). The Dodgers’ +119 run differential leads the Majors.
For all their dominance, the Giants have proven to be a kryptonite of sorts. Since 2015, the Dodgers are 43-44 against the Giants. Of those matchups, 37 games have been decided by one run or fewer, and 52 have been decided by two runs or less.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Kiké Hernandez
3B: Justin Turner
1B: David Freese
RF: Cody Bellinger
SS: Chris Taylor
CF: Alex Verdugo
C: Russell Martin
LF: Kyle Garlick
P: Rich Hill
Giants lineup:
2B: Joe Panik
SS: Donovan Solano
LF: Tyler Austin
C: Buster Posey
3B: Evan Longoria
1B: Brandon Belt
CF: Kevin Pillar
RF: Mike Yastrzemski
P: Drew Pomeranz
