Editorials

Preview: Dodgers and Greinke Look To Take Rubber Match Over Giants

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

After splitting the first two games of the series, NL West rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants take the field Wednesday evening at Dodger Stadium for the rubber match in their three-game series. Tuesday’s loss snapped the Dodgers’ eight-game home winning streak this season.

While Wednesday’s pitching matchup isn’t quiet as impressive as Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner squaring off, it features Zack Greinke, who is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in four starts. The right-hander is 5-0 with a 1.99 ERA in seven career starts against the Giants and is a perfect 9-0 in the month of April since joining the Dodgers.



Overall, Greinke’s last loss came Aug. 9, 2014 to the Milwaukee Brewers. Since that point, he’s gone 8-0 with a 2.00 ERA. Giants hitters who have had the most success against Greinke are Angel Pagan (5-for-15) and Buster Posey (6-for-18).

Ryan Vogelsong, who’s been used as a starter and reliever, takes the mound for the Giants and faces the Dodgers for the second time this season; Wednesday also marks his first outing since seeing them on April 23 at AT&T Park.

While Vogelsong is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA this season, he pitched well against Dodgers a week ago, giving up three hits and two runs in six innings of work. The 37 year old is 4-4 with a 3.85 ERA in his career when facing the Dodgers.

Left-handed bats Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson return to the lineup after all were given the night off against Bumgarner. Additionally, manager Don Mattingly has remade the batting order, moving Pederson up from his usual eighth spot to leadoff as part of several changes.

Since 2013, Gonzalez is 6-for-17 with two home runs and three doubles against Vogelsong. Gonzalez still leads the National League with seven homers and his 18 RBIs ranks second. With Carl Crawford being the most recent Dodger to land on the disabled list (torn oblique), Scott Van Slyke gets another start in left field. While Van Slyke has played primarily against left-handed pitchers this season, he is swinging a hot bat, hitting .385 in 26 at-bats.

Dodgers Lineup:

CF: Joc Pederson

SS: Jimmy Rollins

2B: Howie Kendrick

1B: Adrian Gonzalez

LF: Scott Van Slyke

RF: Andre Ethier

C: Yasmani Grandal

3B: Juan Uribe

P: Zack Greinke

Giants Lineup:

LF: Nori Aoki

2B: Joe Panik

CF: Angel Pagan

C: Buster Posey

1B: Brandon Belt

RF: Justin Maxwell

3B: Casey McGehee

SS: Brandon Crawford

P: Ryan Vogelsong

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