Editorials

Preview: Greinke Looks To Avoid 10th Consecutive Start Without Victory

Caylor Arnold-USA Today Sports
Caylor Arnold-USA Today Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers endured another example of what has become the norm for the team in the past few weeks. With a lack of run support, the team saw another quality start go to waste. In Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Miami Marlins, ace Clayton Kershaw received an undeserving loss after throwing seven innings of one-run baseball. The club’s two critical mistakes allowed two Marlin unearned runs to cross home plate via Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson errors.

Attempting to turn the page, the Dodgers look to go for a series win with their most consistent pitcher on the mound. Zack Greinke gets the start, boasting a modest 5-2 record to go along with his National League leading 1.70 ERA. The right-handed pitcher’s winless streak has now reached nine consecutive starts, which he looks to end against a ball club he has dominated against.



Greinke is riding a hot streak into Sunday as he has not allowed a run in his last 13 innings pitched and is capable of extending that streak against an offense that has lost All-Star Giancarlo Stanton for at least a month with a broken bone in his left wrist.

In six career starts against the Marlins, Greinke is 3-0 with a 3.51 ERA. He faced the Marlins earlier this season and put together quality outing, which went to waste, as the Dodgers didn’t give him enough run support to earn him the victory. The 2014 Gold Glove winner went seven strong innings, in which he allowed only one run on six hits.

Greinke has made one career start at Marlins Park and put forth a strong performance. In eight innings pitched, the 2009 Cy Young winner allowed six hits and gave up one earned run in a victory. A lackluster offense is hoping to see the type of consistency they have seen from Greinke as they look to leave Florida with a series win.

Opposing Greinke on the hill is Jose Urena. The Dominican Republic native is 1-3 on the season with a 4.34 ERA. Urena began the season as a relief pitcher and has been auditioning for the role of starting pitcher in his past five starts.

Urena’s rookie campaign has had some bumps in the road just as any young pitcher would, giving up seven earned runs at home in his last three starts. The 23 year old has lost three of his last four decisions.

Yasiel Puig returns to the lineup after being limited to pinch-hit duty in recent games due to a torn callus on the palm of his left hand.

Dodgers Lineup:

CF: Joc Pederson

2B: Howie Kendrick

1B: Adrian Gonzalez

RF: Yasiel Puig

C: Yasmani Grandal

LF: Andre Ethier

3B: Alberto Callaspo

SS: Jimmy Rollins

P: Zack Greinke

Marlins Lineup:

2B: Dee Gordon

LF: Christian Yelich

SS: Adeiny Hechavarria

CF: Marcell Ozuna

3B: Derek Dietrich

1B: Justin Bour

RF: Ichiro Suzuki

C: Jeff Mathis

P: Jose Urena

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Zack Greinke On Pitching With A Struggling Offense

Staff Writer

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