Dodgers at Pirates
An expected pitching duel between aces Clayton Kershaw and Gerrit Cole never materialized, but the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to feast against National League West opponents. The Pirates look to fatten their 12-2 record against the NL West when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in the second of a three-game series.
Pittsburgh began the series opener by snapping Kershaw's 37-inning scoreless streak and capped the 5-4 victory on Pedro Alvarez's walk-off single in the 10th inning. Gregory Polanco, who halted Kershaw's string, has homered in back-to-back contests after going deep once in the previous 54 games. Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs Friday to boost his career batting average to .325 in 82 games against the Pirates. Los Angeles sends recently acquired Mat Latos to the mound to face Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano, who has won all three career starts versus the Dodgers.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, SportsNet Los Angeles, ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Mat Latos (4-7, 4.29 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (7-6, 2.92)
Latos looks to build on an impressive debut with the Dodgers, when he allowed one run and four hits over six innings in a no-decision against the crosstown Angels. Acquired from Miami in a 13-player deal at the trade deadline, Latos has alternated wins and losses since opening the season by dropping his first three starts. He owns a strong track record versus the Pirates with a 5-1 mark and 3.13 ERA in 12 career starts.
Liriano was scratched from his first start after the All-Star break due to a stiff neck and had his last outing curtailed when rain postponed the game after two innings. In between, he won a pair of starts, striking out 11 in six innings of one-run ball versus Washington before overcoming 10 hits to give up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings at Minnesota. He has not lost since June 20 but is 3-4 with a 3.65 ERA at home this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates SS Jung Ho Kang has multiple hits in 10 of his last 17 games.
2. Dodgers 2B Howie Kendrick is 7-for-15 with four RBIs in his last three contests.
3. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen is 10-for-26 with three homers, eight RBIs and nine runs scored over the past eight games.