The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to five games in thrilling fashion and now can clinch a series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.
Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for his sixth start of the season and coming off his most impressive outing this year. Kershaw held the St. Louis Cardinals scoreless over six innings to help the Dodgers start their current winning streak.
“I think it’s a message to everyone as far as you’re not always going to be feeling your best, and you’ve still got to find a way to perform and help the ballclub win,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game.
“Certainly for the young guys, that with the stuff he’s going out there (with), it’s not 95 or 97 (mph), but with the command, the grit to throw strikes, to get ahead of hitters, you can go out there and still pitch deep into a game. I think that’s something all of our guys need to take note of.”
Kershaw is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.25 WHIP this season. He’s been particularly effective during August, pitching to a 1.10 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in three starts thus far. That’s been much-needed for the Dodgers as their rotation has remained in flux because of injuries.
The Rays counter with Taj Bradley, a Los Angeles native. The right-hander attended high school in Georgia and was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fifth round in 2018.
Bradley made his MLB debut last season with the Rays and pitched in 23 games (21 starts). He’s 6-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 18 starts this year. Bradley hit a rough patch at the end of July and into this month, but rebounded a bit with a quality start against the Oakland Athletics last week.
Walks have been somewhat of an issue for the 23-year-old.
Having already become the fastest player to 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same year, Shohei Ohtani now looks to make MLB history as the first with a 45-45 season.
Max Muncy is back in the Dodgers lineup after receiving his first game off since returning from the 60-day injured list.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
LF: Teoscar Hernández
2B: Gavin Lux
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
CF: Tommy Edman
SS: Miguel Rojas
Rays lineup
1B: Yandy Díaz
DH: Brandon Lowe
3B: Junior Caminero
2B: Christopher Morel
LF: Dylan Carlson
CF: Jonny DeLuca
RF: Josh Lowe
SS: José Caballero
C: Alex Jackson
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