Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After dropping the series opener against the Mets, the Dodgers look to Alex Wood in order to even up the series on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are now 3-8 in the first game of each of the 11 series they have played in so far this season, and they are 5-9 at home. The Giants are the only team in the NL West who are over .500 (10-9) at home.
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Mets
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Dodgers
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7:10 p.m. PT
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Los Angeles
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RF
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Lagares |
2B
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Utley | |
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SS
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Cabrera |
SS
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Seager | |
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3B
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Wright |
3B
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Turner | |
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CF
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Cespedes |
1B
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Gonzalez | |
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2B
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Flores |
C
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Grandal | |
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LF
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Conforto |
CF
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Pederson | |
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C
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Plawecki | RF | Puig | |
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1B
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Campbell |
LF
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Crawford | |
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P
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deGrom (R)
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P
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Wood (L)
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Alex Wood (1-3, 5.18) allowed an uncharacteristic three home runs to the Rays in his last start, but he has looked generally solid in his last two outings. He made 78 pitches and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits with 7 strikeouts and no walks through 5 innings in the 8-5 loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
The good news is that Wood has been excellent at home this season. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts with 12 strikeouts and two walks in 14 innings. The bad news is Juan Lugares, Wilmer Flores, Curtis Granderson and Yoenis Cespedes have all hit home runs off him in the past. After Scott Kazmir coughed up two home runs on Monday, the Dodgers need the groundball pitcher to keep New York from benefiting from the long ball again.
Wood is 0-3 with a 4.35 ERA against the Mets in seven career regular season starts, but we won’t easily forget his disastrous postseason appearance in last year’s NLDS anytime soon. He allowed four runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks to the Mets in just two innings of work during the 13-7 Game 3 loss on October 12.
Jacob deGrom (3-1, 1.99) pitched and collected wins in both NLDS Game 1 and 5 against the Dodgers, allowing just two runs and striking out 20 in 13 innings in the series. During the regular season, deGrom has yet to notch a win against the Dodgers and is 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA in three career starts. He hasn’t pitched as well away from Citi Field this season and is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts. He’s allowed four runs on 16 hits in 10 2/3 innings on the road.
Adrian Gonzalez has hit two home runs vs. deGrom, and Yasiel Puig has also hit a homer against him as well. Justin Turner is hitting .455 with five hits including three doubles against the fluffy haired right-hander in 11 at-bats.
The annoying narrative surrounding Chase Utley‘s NLDS slide and possible retaliation from the Mets unfortunately has not simmered down even though Ruben Tejada is now with St. Louis and Terry Collins said he has moved on. Even if Utley is plunked, he probably won’t care much. He is leading off and starting at second base.
Utley, Corey Seager, Carl Crawford and Joc Pederson are all back in the lineup against deGrom after sitting out against the lefty Steven Matz on Monday night. Puig bats seventh after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts the series opener.
In rehab news, Alex Guerrero may play a game for the Dodgers this season after all.
REHAB ASSIGNMENT: Alex Guerrero will join Quakes as part of a rehab assignment. Guerrero slated to bat 4th in tonight’s home game vs LAN.
— RC Quakes Baseball (@RCQuakes) May 10, 2016
Can the Dodgers’ offense wake up and get deWin? Stay tuned.
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