Dodgers at Diamondbacks
The Los Angeles Dodgers have charged back into the National League West race and can move a step closer to the division lead in Wednesday's series finale against the host Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers have won the first two games by identical 6-1 scores, giving them 14 wins in 17 games and pulling them with 2 1/2 games of first-place Arizona. Los Angeles, which is 6-2 on its nine-game road trip, has shaved seven games off the Diamondbacks' lead in the past 2 1/2 weeks.
Arizona had scored 32 runs during a five-game winning streak before the Dodgers came to town, but the Diamondbacks have managed only nine hits in dropping the first two games. Center fielder Adam Eaton, who was expected to open the season as the starting center fielder before injuring his elbow, had a forgettable season debut. He dropped a fly ball that led to a pair of runs and went hitless in four at-bats out of the leadoff slot.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), Fox Sports Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-3, 2.82 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Tyler Skaggs (2-1, 3.65)
Ryu halted a five-start winless streak in his last turn, limiting San Francisco to two runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He has permitted three or fewer runs in 10 consecutive starts and has pitched at least six innings in nine of them. The 26-year-old South Korean is 1-0 in two starts against the Diamondbacks this year, but he did surrender three runs on a season-high 11 hits against them June 12.
Skaggs was recalled from the minors to make a spot start vs. Colorado on Friday and responded with the best performance of his career, tossing eight scoreless innings of three-hit ball in a 3-0 victory. He faced the Dodgers in September in his third major-league start and allowed one run in five innings. Skaggs, who will turn 22 on Saturday, gave up four homers in two June losses to earn a trip back to the minors.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez had his 19-game hitting streak snapped Tuesday.
2. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt is 3-for-6 against Ryu.
3. Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig is 7-for-15 in five games vs. the Diamondbacks.