Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal proved once again to be a thorn in the side of the Arizona Diamondbacks. After a four-RBI outburst in the second of a three-game set between the National League West rivals Tuesday, the first-year catcher of the Dodgers aims to go deep for the third time in as many contests when the division leaders face the host Diamondbacks in the rubber match Wednesday.
Grandal clubbed his 11th home run in Monday’s series-opening 10-6
setback and delivered what ended up being two important insurance runs
with a double in the 10th inning of Tuesday’s 6-4 victory. The
26-year-old Cuban backstop went 2-for-4 — including a two-run shot in
his first at-bat — in the win, improving his season totals against
Arizona to 14-for-34 with five home runs and eight RBIs. The
Diamondbacks’ defeat was their 11th in their last 14 meetings and 30th
in their last 40 contests in this series. One player who has not
struggled over that time is Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who
went 2-for-4 in the loss and is batting .340 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs
in 68 career games against Los Angeles, with the homer and RBI totals
being his best marks against any club.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Brett Anderson (4-4, 3.13 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (2-3, 1.98)
Anderson
enjoyed arguably his finest performance as a Dodger on Friday, allowing
a run on five hits while fanning a season-high 10 in seven frames en
route to a 7-1 victory at Miami. The 27-year-old Texan has yielded two
runs or fewer in nine of his 11 turns since the beginning of May, but
his worst outing of the year came June 10 versus Arizona when he
allowed four runs over five innings in a no-decision. Anderson has
enjoyed much success throughout his career against the team that drafted him, struggling only against Goldschmidt (7-for-11, two homers).
Ray
faced San Diego for the second time in as many tries Friday, coming
away with his second straight setback after permitting three runs (two
earned) over six innings. The 23-year-old has dropped three of his last
four outings overall, but has been the team’s most effective starter
since becoming a fixture in the rotation early last month. Ray took a
hard-luck loss — his first defeat of the season — in his first career
turn against the Dodgers on June 9, giving up two runs on four hits over
6 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles CF Joc Pederson needs one more homer
to break a three-way tie for fifth in club history by a rookie and tie
Albert Pujols’ rookie record of 21 before the All-Star Game.
2.
The Diamondbacks recalled RHP Matt Stites from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday
and optioned RHP Allen Webster to the Aces in a corresponding move.
3. Wednesday marks the Dodgers’ last road game before they begin a 10-game homestand leading into the All-Star break.