Dodgers at Padres
Aaron
Harang has sent a lot of San Diego Padres back to the bench with bat in
hand this season but doesn’t have a victory to show for it. The Los
Angeles Dodgers right-hander looks to rectify the situation when he
faces his former teammates for the third time this season in Thursday’s
finale of a two-game series. Harang struck out nine straight Padres
earlier this season to fall one short of tying the major-league record,
but is 0-1 in two starts against San Diego.
The Padres won the
opener of the series 4-2 as Chase Headley had a homer and three RBIs to
give San Diego only its second victory in eight games against Los
Angeles this season. Headley has five of San Diego’s major-league low 15
homers. The Dodgers have tallied only six runs in three games without
Matt Kemp, who is on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Los
Angeles still has the best record in the big leagues despite
back-to-back losses.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Aaron Harang (2-2, 4.46 ERA) vs. Padres RH Edinson Volquez (2-2, 2.79)
Harang
has fanned 19 San Diego batters in only 10 1/3 innings this season. He
matched his career high with 13 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings on April 13.
Harang allowed only one run and four hits in eight innings while
beating the Colorado Rockies in his last outing. He is 3-5 with a 4.36
ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against San Diego.
Volquez
has won back-to-back outings after being winless in his first six
starts of the campaign. The former Cincinnati Reds teammate of Harang
has given up only four runs in 25 1/3 innings over his last four trips
to the mound. Volquez allowed one run in six innings while beating the
Philadelphia Phillies in his most-recent start. He is 1-1 with a 3.71
ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles, including two outings
against the Dodgers this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles hasn’t lost three consecutive games all season.
2. Padres starter Cory Luebke is weighing whether to undergo season-ending Tommy John ligament surgery on his left elbow.
3. Dodgers infielder Adam Kennedy is batting .385 in 13 career at-bats against Volquez.