Dodgers Vs. D-Backs Preview: Kershaw Goes For Third Win Of Season
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in dominant fashion Friday night. In the 7-0 win, Zack Greinke’s eight shutout innings combined with towering home runs from Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke helped the Dodgers breeze past their NL West competitors. With a 9-1 record against the Diamondbacks this season, the Boys in Blue look to rake in another win.
After going 3-for-5 in Friday’s game, Puig figures to again factor heavily into the Dodgers’ chances of taking another game over the Diamondbacks. Currently riding a 15-game hitting streak, Puig has continued to prove a sophomore slump will not phase him.
Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the Dodgers and in his last outing, the left-hander allowed three runs in seven innings in a no-decision against the San Francisco Giants. The reigning NL Cy Young winner makes his third start since coming off the disabled list.
Prior to being placed on the DL, Kershaw made a start against the D-Backs and allowed just one run over 6.2 innings in game one of the Australia series. The Dodger ace is currently 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA and is 3-5 lifetime at Chase Field.
The esteemed starter faces off against Arizona’s Chase Anderson, who will be making his second Major League start tonight. In his debut, the 26-year-old right-hander allowed just one run over 5.1 innings of work. Anderson has been standing idly by in the D-Backs bullpen over the past 10 days and has not been called upon until today.
The two starters grew up just thirty minutes away from each other and were one game short of facing each other during the Texas State High School playoffs. Today will mark the first time the Texas natives will meet.
With a right-hander on the mound, manager Don Mattingly reverts back to a more familiar outfield. Carl Crawford is starting in left field, with Matt Kemp and Puig starting in their respective positions. The string of consecutive starts since coming back from injury continues for both A.J. Ellis and Juan Uribe.
Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson’s lineup offers more changes than that of Mattingly’s. Cody Ross starts in left and Alfredo Marte is in right, which moves Gerardo Parra to the bench. In 23 career at-bats against Kershaw, Ross is hitting .348. Additional changes come at second base with Cliff Pennington starting in place of Aaron Hill and at catcher, where Miguel Montero gives way to Tuffy Gosewisch.
Dodgers Lineup
2B: Gordon
RF: Puig
SS: Ramirez
1B: Gonzalez
CF: Kemp
LF: Crawford
3B: Uribe
C: Ellis
P: Kershaw
Diamondbacks Lineup
CF: Pollock
SS: Owings
1B: Goldschmidt
LF: Ross
3B: Prado
RF: Marte
2B: Pennington
C: Gosewisch
P: Anderson
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Dodgers Update: Clayton Kershaw’s Impressive Return, A.J. Ellis Improving
