Dodgers at Rays
The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to build off one of their best offensive outbursts of the season when they go for a sweep of a two-game interleague series with the host Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. The Dodgers belted three homers, including a three-run blast by Yasiel Puig, in a 10-5 victory over the Rays on Tuesday for their second straight win after a six-game slide.
Howie Kendrick snapped out of a season-long slump with four hits and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which posted 13 hits to allow Scott Kazmir to earn his 100th career victory. The Dodgers send Alex Wood to the mound against Drew Smyly in a battle of southpaws in the series finale as Los Angeles goes for its fifth straight win over Tampa Bay. The Rays matched their season high with a three-game winning streak late in April, but have lost four of five since to sink to 8-9 at home. Evan Longoria boasts four RBIs in his last three games for Tampa Bay, which is tied for the least runs in the American League with 82.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Alex Wood (1-2, 4.82 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (1-3, 2.60)
Wood is winless in three consecutive starts, but produced his best performance of the season last time out while limiting San Diego to one run over seven innings with nine strikeouts. The 25-year-old Charlotte native has struggled with control, walking 12 in 28 innings and posting a 1.54 WHIP. Wood faces Tampa Bay for the first time and is 0-2 with an 8.36 ERA in three road starts.
Smyly has allowed two or fewer earned runs in his last four starts while striking out 36 combined, but managed just one victory in that span. The 26-year-old Arkansas product has issued six walks in 34 2/3 innings during his first five starts of the season, permitting only 18 hits. Kendrick is 3-for-9 with a homer against Smyly, who yielded one hit in a three-inning stint against the Dodgers in 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay OF Brandon Guyer went 2-for-4 on Tuesday and has four multi-hit games in his last nine outings.
2. Los Angeles OF Trayce Thompson had four RBIs on Tuesday and is 7-for-22 with four extra-base hits in his last seven games.
3. The Rays dropped to 6-1 when they score more than three runs with the loss in the opener of the series.