Diamondbacks @ Dodgers May 17, 2022: Anderson looks to bounce back in game two of the doubleheader

The Dodgers have bounced back nicely from a horrid stretch of baseball, with three consecutive come-from-behind wins in the last three days. They took the early game of the doubleheader on the back of a four-dong, five-run sixth inning and have won three straight games, each by one run. Tonight, they look for a third win in the last 24 hours and look to guarantee a series win against the Diamondbacks.

Image Image
7:10 PM Los Angeles
LF Hummel (S) RF Betts
RF Luplow 1B Freeman (L)
2B Marte (S) SS T. Turner
1B Walker DH Rios (L)
3B Rojas (L) LF Taylor
DH Smith (L) 3B Muncy (L)
SS Perdomo (S) CF Bellinger (L)
CF Thomas (L) C Barnes
C Herrera (S) 2B Lux (L)
P Kelly (R) P Anderson (L)

Tyler Anderson turned back into a pumpkin in his last start after beginning the season on a hot streak. Anderson appeared in five games before his last start (22 2/3 innings) and allowed seven runs and two homers in that time. Last time out against the Phillies, Anderson allowed seven runs and two homers in six innings. It was a start he had to wear, as he allowed four in the first two innings but remained out there through six, which the Dodgers really needed. It blew his ERA up from 2.78 to 4.40, and today he looks to right the ship (just walk Christian Walker every time imo).

Merrill Kelly makes his eighth start of the season tonight. He’s been excellent this season, with a 1.71 ERA/2.46 FIP in 42 innings. Six of the eight earned runs he’s allowed in 2022 came in two starts, one of those being his first look at the Dodgers back in Arizona. The Dodgers scored two runs in the first three batters as they started with a walk and back to back doubles, and added a third run in the fifth. Kelly is coming off his worst start of the season, allowing three runs in five innings against the Marlins last time out. Joey Wendle took him deep in the first inning of that game, which was the first and only homer allowed by Kelly so far this season.

Kelly has a pretty evenly-dispersed five-pitch mix. He throws a four-seamer 28.3 percent of the time (average 92.6 MPH), a changeup 24.2 percent of the time, cutter 21 percent, sinker 13.7 percent and curve 12.7 percent of the time.

The Dodgers made a couple changes to the lineup, with Gavin Lux moving over to second, Chris Taylor moving back to left. Justin Turner sits the nightcap, with Max Muncy starting at third and Edwin Rios serving as the DH. Austin Barnes catches with Will Smith also out of the lineup.

——

A roster move in between games.

David Price is back in the bullpen after missing about three weeks with Covid and building back up. Shane Greene is the casualty, as he’s been DFA’d to make room for Price.

——

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PDT and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.

About Alex Campos

I've been writing about the Dodgers since I graduated from Long Beach State, where I covered the Dirtbags in my senior year. I'm either very good or very bad at puns.