Dodgers vs. Giants
San Francisco, CA – The Los Angeles Dodgers might be on the verge of trading for a starting pitcher, but their need for a few productive bats is becoming more glaring every day.
A consistent lack of offense appears to be catching up to the Dodgers, but they’ll try to break through against Barry Zito and the host San Francisco Giants on Saturday in a contest that gets under way minutes after the trading deadline.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com have made the Giants –110 money line favorites for Saturday’s game against the Dodgers. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 62% of more than 638 bets for this game have been placed on the Giants -110.
Los Angeles (54-49) is reportedly in talks to acquire Chicago Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly, who has won at least 12 games in six seasons but has been plagued by a lack of run support this year.
That should make him feel right at home with the Dodgers, batting .174 in their last eight games. Los Angeles has totaled 35 runs in going 5-10 since the All-Star break, falling from two to seven games behind first-place San Diego in the NL West.
The Dodgers scored their most runs since July 20 on Friday, but still fell 4 1/2 games behind the wild-card leading Giants (59-45). San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum labored through the game’s first three innings, yielding two runs, but Los Angeles let him off the hook and didn’t score again until the ninth in a 6-5 loss.
"I thought we showed a lot of fight and if we keep playing like this, then things will go our way eventually," Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said. "I think our mindset’s going to be we’re going to have to start our playoffs a little earlier this year if we want to get there."
Saturday’s game will be a rematch of a pitchers’ duel from 10 days earlier at Chavez Ravine. Chad Billingsley (9-5, 4.00 ERA) bested Zito, pitching a five-hitter in a 2-0 victory to improve to 4-2 with a 2.80 ERA in 12 starts against San Francisco.
Zito gave up two runs and six hits over 7 1-3 innings. He’s 0-1 in three starts versus Los Angeles this season despite a 2.18 ERA.
Zito (8-6, 3.49) suffered another hard-luck defeat Monday against Florida. He gave up three runs over 6 1-3 innings, but the Giants didn’t score until he exited in a 4-3 loss.
"(My stuff was) winnable, but I’ve just got to do better than that," Zito told the team’s official website.
While the Dodgers have been struggling at the plate for two weeks, Matt Kemp and Rafael Furcal can’t say they’ve had a tough time against Zito. Kemp is 17 for 38 versus the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner and Furcal is 12 for 31.
Furcal went 3 for 3 on Friday and is 12 for 17 with two homers and three walks this season in San Francisco.
If Furcal and the offense give Billingsley anything to work with, Los Angeles has to like its chances to avoid a fourth straight loss. Billingsley followed his first complete game since 2008 by limiting San Diego to three singles over six innings Tuesday in a 2-0 victory.
Now, however, he’ll be starting on three days’ rest for the first time. Clayton Kershaw’s five-game suspension left the Dodgers needing a starter for Saturday, but rather than call up John Ely from Triple-A Albuquerque, they’re handing the ball to Kershaw.
"There’s always a little concern because we don’t do it much," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt told the Dodgers’ official website. "… You never really know. But the way he’s throwing and his last outing, we’re using his judgment."
Little-used outfielder Nate Schierholtz is 6 for 10 with three extra-base hits against Billingsley.
Posted: 7/31/2010 4:34 AM ET