Dodgers at Brewers
The Dodgers are the big story in the majors - and not for the off-field circus surrounding the sale of the franchise. Los Angeles is the best team in the bigs with a 9-1 record out of the gate, but many are pointing to a weak opening slate for that success. The Brewers lost four straight on the road before returning home for this three-game series. The Brewers had a MLB-best 57-24 home record in Miller Park last season.
Matt Kemp is performing like the best player in baseball, hitting .487 with six home runs and 16 RBIs to start the schedule. He finished second in National League MVP voting last season to Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun. The outfielder leads the Brewers with a .343 average but has just one home run and four RBIs this season.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN (Milwaukee) / KCAL (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Chad Billingsley (2-0, 0.63 ERA) vs. Brewers Yovani Gallardo RH (1-1, 5.91 ERA)
Billingsley has been nearly invisible in his first two starts. He’s given up a total of just one run on eight total hits through 14 1/3 innings of work. He’s walked only one batter while striking out 15 during that span. The right-hander is 2-1 with a career 2.54 ERA versus Milwaukee.
Gallardo put a poor season debut behind him with a solid second effort against Chicago. He allowed one run on five hits over seven innings, striking out six. The right-hander has struggled against Los Angeles in his career, going 0-3 with an ERA north of 7.00 over 24 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Kemp’s six home runs put him alongside of Don Demeter (1959) and Wally Moon (1961) as the only Dodgers to hit six homers in the first 10 games of the season.
2. Los Angeles’ 9-1 start is the team’s best since 1981. That team was 9-1 through the first 10 games and went on to win the franchise’s fifth World Series title.
3. The Brewers are hitting .228 – 27th in the majors. A big part of that is leadoff hitter Rickie Weeks’ 15 strikeouts – the most in the National League.