Preview: Angels at Dodgers
Gracenote
Jul 15, 2018
The Los Angeles Dodgers may want to consider pitching around Kole Calhoun when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game Freeway Series. Calhoun has hit three of his nine homers on the season in the first two contests of the set, including a two-out shot in the 10th inning on Saturday that gave the Dodgers a 5-4 victory.
Calhoun, who went deep twice for the Angels in their series-opening 3-2 loss, also doubled on Saturday while Justin Upton went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the second time in his last three games. Chris Taylor homered and drove in two runs for the Dodgers while Yasmani Grandal delivered an RBI double in the ninth to send the contest to extra innings. Matt Kemp enters the series finale with a four-game hitting streak during which he has gone 5-for-14 witih two RBIs. The Dodgers are 2-3 against the Angels this season, with four of the contests - including all three of their losses - being one-run affairs and the other a two-run decision.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Angels), SportsNet LA (Dodgers)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Deck McGuire (0-1, 6.10 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (3-4, 2.61)
McGuire will make his third start of the month - and season - after working a scoreless inning of relief against Seattle on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Virginian served up two homers in his first two turns in the rotation after surrendering five in six appearances out of the bullpen. McGuire, who has totaled 6 1/3 frames in his starts, allowed one hit and issued two walks while registering six strikeouts over three innings of a start on July 7 as he faced the Dodgers for the first time in his career.
Kershaw has to some extent been returning to form, as he has allowed fewer than three runs in each of his four starts since coming back from his lastest stint on the disabled list but hasn't worked more than six innings. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner has won back-to-back outings, including a triumph at San Diego on Monday in which he gave up two hits over six scoreless frames. Kershaw is 6-2 with one complete game and a 2.42 ERA in 10 career starts against the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers 3B Justin Turner (adductor) is day-to-day and available to pinch-hit but is unlikely to see action until after the All-Star break, according to MGR Dave Roberts.
2. Angels RHP Nick Tropeano (shoulder) allowed two runs and seven hits over four innings on Saturday in a rehab start for Single-A Inland Empire.
3. The Dodgers optioned RHP Walker Buehler to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday to make room on the roster for LHP Zac Rosscup, who was claimed off waivers from Colorado during the week.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Angels 3
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Preview: Cubs at Padres
Gracenote
Jul 15, 2018
Thousands of Chicago Cubs fans have taken over Petco Park during this weekend's series against the San Diego Padres, and they've had plenty to cheer about in the first two days. Chicago aims for a sweep of the three-game set on Sunday after rallying for a 5-4, 10-inning win in the opener and collecting 13 hits in Saturday’s 11-6 victory.
Javier Baez belted a three-run homer and finished with five RBIs on Saturday while Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber also belted shots to help Chicago post its 12th win in 16 games. Anthony Rizzo, who snapped an 0-for-21 slump with three hits on Friday, batted leadoff for the second straight game Saturday and went 1-for-4 with a stolen base. San Diego suffered its fourth straight defeat despite homers by Hunter Renfroe and Eric Hosmer, who went deep for the first time in 115 at-bats. The rebuilding Padres are looking for continued growth from Renfroe, who hit 26 homers as a rookie last season but enters the final game before the All-Star break hitting .241 with six blasts in 170 at-bats.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jon Lester (11-2, 2.45 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Lauer (5-5, 4.40)
Lester saw his seven-start winning streak come to an end last Sunday after allowing four runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Cincinnati. The 34-year-old native of Washington was named to his fifth All-Star team but will be unavailable after starting Sunday’s contest. Hosmer is 4-for-13 with a home run against Lester, who owns a 2-1 record and 2.97 ERA in five career starts versus San Diego.
Lauer recorded the best start of his young career Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers as he allowed one run and four hits with eight strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old rookie entered June with a 7.67 ERA but has posted a 2.17 mark over his last eight starts covering 46 1/3 innings. “The more success you have at the big-league level, the more you start to feel you belong here,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “He’s long past that. He knows he belongs.”
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs are 34-3 when leading after six innings.
2. San Diego RHP Jordan Lyles (elbow) pitched in a simulated game Saturday and could rejoin the rotation by the end of the month.
3. The Cubs placed RHP Carl Edwards Jr. on paternity leave and recalled LHP Rob Zastryzny from Triple-A Iowa.
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Padres 3
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