Dodgers @ D-Backs July 17, 2016: Maeda vs. Ray

	Dodgers			D-backs
	1:10 p.m. PT			Arizona
LF	Kendrick		2B	Segura
SS	Seager		CF	Bourn
3B	Turner		1B	Goldschmidt
1B	Van Slyke		3B	Lamb
CF	Puig		LF	Drury
2B	Taylor		RF	Freeman
C	Ellis		C	Gosewich
RF	Walters		SS	Ahmed
P	Maeda (R)		P	Ray (L)

Last night’s game was frustrating, largely because it was a waste of Brandon McCarthy‘s brilliant performance. While it wasn’t the bullpen’s best night, the bigger issue was, of course, the fact that the Dodgers only managed to score one run, leaving 15 men stranded in 12 innings. But hey, at least they didn’t lose on a balkoff!

Today, Kenta Maeda takes the mound to try to get the Dodgers the series victory. His final start before the All-Star break was the best of his MLB career so far. It was the second time he went seven full innings, and his 13 strikeouts were easily a season high for him.

This will be the third time Maeda faces the Diamondbacks this year. His April 12th start against them at Dodger Stadium was very good, as he delivered six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out four. The Dodgers wound up losing that game, 4-2.

Maeda’s June 14th start at Chase Field was cut short when he took a Paul Goldschmidt comebacker off his right shin with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. To that point, Maeda had allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out six. The Dodgers wound up winning that game, 7-4.

Robbie Ray gets the ball for Arizona. It’s his second start against the Dodgers this season. On April 14th, he pitched six and one-third innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six. In 18 starts this year, Ray has an ERA of 4.81 (3.91 FIP) and a WHIP of 1.56 in 97.1 innings of work. Ray strikes out a good number of batters (10.63 K/9, 26.0% K%), but also walks a fair number of batters (3.70 BB/9, 9.1% BB%). The Diamondbacks are 5-13 in his starts.

The southpaw Ray will face a righty-heavy Dodgers lineup, with Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley getting the day off; Scott Van Slyke and Chris Taylor will be at first and second base, respectively. The switch-hitting Zach Walters, called up from Triple-A yesterday, makes his first start for the Dodgers, in right field. (In his brief career, Walters has fared better batting right-handed.) Yasiel Puig is starting in center field for the first time since 2014.

—

The latest details on Clayton Kershaw‘s return:

Roberts indicates Kershaw won't return Thursday, wants to give him another few days, didn't rule out St.Louis series.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 17, 2016

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