Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers will try to keep their winning streak rolling when they open a three-game series against division rival San Francisco on May Day.
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Giants
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Dodgers
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7:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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LF
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Hernandez |
CF
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Toles | |
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3B
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Arroyo |
SS
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Seager | |
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RF
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Pence |
3B
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Turner | |
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C
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Posey |
C
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Grandal | |
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1B
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Morse |
1B
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Gonzalez | |
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SS
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Nunez |
LF
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Bellinger | |
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2B
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Panik | RF | Puig | |
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CF
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Stubbs |
2B
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Utley | |
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P
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Cueto (R)
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P
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Kershaw (L)
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There’s a lot of streaking going on.
- The Dodgers have a four-game winning streak, their longest of the year.
- Clayton Kershaw brings a three-game winning streak into Monday’s game. He’s also won his last 10 decisions at Dodger Stadium.
- Justin Turner currently has a 16-game hitting streak, longest in the Majors this season.
- Andrew Toles has hit a home run in two straight games. He’s also had two straight lead-off hits (a home run and a ground-rule double) in each of the last two games.
On the heels of a satisfying three-game sweep of the Phillies, the Dodgers send their ace Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 2.29 ERA, 2.54) to the mound for the opener against the Giants. While the red-hot Dodgers have won four straight, Kershaw has his own three-game winning streak on the line when he takes the field Monday night. Last time out against the Giants at AT&T Park, Kersh went seven innings, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in the 2-1 Dodger victory. He’s dominated the ‘Frisco foes over his career and is 19-8 with 1.60 ERA in 37 games against them.
The last-place Giants hope that Johhny Cueto (3-1, 5.10 ERA, 5.12 FIP) can bounce back after struggling in his last two starts against Colorado (at Coors Field) and LA. Last Wednesday in San Francisco, Cueto allowed three runs on seven hits including the monstrous 462 ft. home run to Corey Seager in the 4-3 Dodger win.
Way, way back. @coreyseager_5 goes beyond San Francisco’s deep center field wall, ties 2017’s longest homer. https://t.co/ZhjpFO7KjJ pic.twitter.com/FFn4PHZ2Fo
— #Statcast (@statcast) April 27, 2017
I could watch that on loop all day long.
Cueto has already served up six home runs in his first five starts this year. He only allowed 15 homers in 32 starts last season. The Dodgers have hit 28 home runs as a team so far this year, ninth in the NL. The Brewers have hit 45 long balls. With the weather getting warmer, we may be in store for more homers in LA in the coming months.
The majority of the Dodgers’ offense in April came from their two best hitters Seager and Justin Turner, and once again they are hitting second and third in the lineup. Toles has another opportunity to bat at the top of the order and start the game off with a third consecutive lead-off hit. Yasmani Grandal is batting cleanup with the struggling Adrian Gonzalez in the fifth slot. Gonzo hasn’t hit a home run since Game 2 of the NLCS last October 16 in Chicago.
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The Dodgers placed Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day disabled list on Monday with a left hip contusion. Dave Roberts is hopeful that Ryu will only miss one start, and the off-day on Thursday will work to their advantage. The good news is that this has nothing to do with his shoulder or elbow. Josh Fields was called up from Triple-A (again) to take his roster spot.
Hyun-Jin Ryu felt “a little tightness in his glute” sliding into 2nd base Sunday. On 10-day DL. “Hopefully it’s just a start,” Roberts says.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) May 1, 2017
Also, Franklin Gutierrez will be activated Tuesday.
And the obligatory:
Rich Hill is playing catch.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) May 1, 2017
