Marlins at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers set a franchise record and moved closer to tying another with yet another dominant performance at home Tuesday. One day later, the Dodgers attempt to match their longest winning streak of the season as they eye their fourth sweep in six series at Chavez Ravine when they wrap up a three-game set with the Miami Marlins.
Behind Andre Ethier’s third career 5-for-5 effort and Howie Kendrick’s
four-hit performance, Los Angeles pounded out a season-high 21 hits on
its way to an 11-1 rout of the Marlins and its fifth straight win. The
Dodgers improved to a league-best 15-2 at home – their best such start
in 132 years of existence – and claimed their 10th consecutive series at
Dodger Stadium – the first time they have accomplished that feat since
the franchise moved from Brooklyn. Giancarlo Stanton went
2-for-2 and launched another mammoth homer to end a string of 12 hitless
at-bats, but his first-inning solo shot was the only offense the
Marlins could manage. Former Dodger Dee Gordon is 0-for-8 in this series
after registering a hit in 26 of his first 29 contests, but still holds
a sizeable lead for the best batting average in the majors (.412) over
Los Angeles’ Adrian Gonzalez (.372).
TV: 7:50 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jarred Cosart (1-3, 3.67 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Carlos Frias (3-0, 2.13)
Cosart
endured his shortest start of the season in Friday’s 6-0 loss at San
Francisco, lasting only four innings and surrendering all of his runs on
a grand slam from Casey McGehee during his 83-pitch outing. The former
38th-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Phillies is 0-2 with a 7.00
ERA in two May turns after going 1-1, 2.49 in four April outings. Cosart
will get his first career start against Los Angeles and has struggled
against the only Dodger he has faced, as Kendrick is 3-for-9 with three
RBIs against him.
Frias won his third straight decision – one in
relief plus his past two starts – and got plenty of help from his
offense during Thursday’s 14-4 victory in Milwaukee. The 25-year-old
Dominican, who joined the rotation after Brandon McCarthy was lost for
the season, gave up his first three runs of the season while fanning six
in five frames. Frias will draw his first-ever assignment against the
Marlins and looks to improve on his 3-0 record and 1.55 ERA in 10 career
appearances (two starts) at Dodger Stadium.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles leads the majors with 51 homers – the second-best total in team history after 32 games (53 in 2000).
2. Stanton’s estimated 478-foot blast Tuesday is only the fifth home run to leave Dodger Stadium.
3. The Dodgers have outscored their opponents 89-47 at home, posting at least six runs in 12 of the 17 contests.