Last time the Dodgers faced the Brewers’ Yovani Gallardo (3-4), they were flying high with a 9-1 record and went into the ninth inning of that game looking like they were going to be 10-1. It didn’t exactly happen that way as that was the game where former Dodger closer Javy Guerra showed the first signs of struggling to close games. The Brewers scored two runs against Guerra in the ninth in a 5-4 loss for the Dodgers.
The Brewers are holding the Dodgers’ Kryptonite as the Dodgers are 1-4 against them so far this season. Whatever the Brewers are doing to bother the Dodgers this season, they will try to use it to hand the Dodgers their first three-game losing streak of the season. Clayton Kershaw (4-2) is the perfect pitcher to break the streak of bad luck against Milwaukee and keep the Dodgers from that losing streak.
Milwaukee Brewers (21-28) at Los Angeles Dodgers (32-17)
7:10 PM PST, May 30, 2012
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)
Game-Time Weather: 66 degrees, Mostly Sunny
Keys to Dodger Victory:
Pitching: Kershaw struggled early in his last start, but still battled to pitch seven innings in a 3-1 loss to Houston. His main objective tonight will be to keep reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun from getting comfortable. Braun had gone hitless in the first four meetings against the Dodgers this season before breaking out last night, going yard against Nathan Eovaldi in the first inning. If Braun is controlled, the rest of the lineup shouldn’t give Kershaw major problems.
Hitting: The Dodgers are going to want to play small ball and get on base against Gallardo as he has a 12.27 ERA with runners in scoring position. With no one on base, Gallardo’s ERA shrinks to 1.15. That’s a huge gap, and the Dodgers have shown the ability to get on base, and with Matt Kemp back, those runners in scoring position should cross the plate more often.
Fun Facts:
- Gallardo has a 5.47 ERA against left-handed hitters; including Kershaw, the Dodgers will potentially have five lefties in its lineup.
- The Dodgers had a 9-5 record while Matt Kemp was out of the lineup.
- Kershaw didn’t pitch against the Brewers in the first series this season, but one current Brewer has faced him this year as Cody Ransom had an at-bat against him with the Arizona Diamondbacks before joining the Brewers.
