Padres at Dodgers
Brandon McCarthy looks to follow his successful season debut with another strong outing Saturday as the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their four-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres. McCarthy tossed five scoreless innings in last Sunday’s victory over Colorado and provided a much-needed boost to a Dodgers rotation that will be without ace Clayton Kershaw (back) for at least another few weeks.
McCarthy may want to exercise caution with San Diego's Melvin Upton Jr., who has belted three homers in his last two games and is batting .348 with nine blasts and 16 RBIs over his last 22 contests. Los Angeles evened the series at a win apiece with Friday’s 10-6 triumph behind a career night from Yasmani Grandal, who was 5-for-5 with three homers and six RBIs. The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Dodgers, who are 6 1/2 games behind National League West-leading San Francisco. Grandal, who spent the first three seasons of his career with San Diego before being traded to the Dodgers, has blasted six home runs in his last seven games and raised his average to .204 with Friday’s outburst.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Luis Perdomo (3-3, 7.93 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 0.00)
Perdomo made his sixth career start on Monday against Arizona and earned the victory after yielding three runs - two earned - over six frames. “He knows he belongs,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “The future’s very bright for him. That’s exciting to see.” The 23-year-old faced the Dodgers on May 22 as a reliever and yielded four runs on eight hits and six walks over five innings.
Making his first major-league start since April 25, 2015, McCarthy struck out eight and walked one on Sunday against Colorado. The 33-year-old remains unbeaten in five career starts as a Dodger, going 4-0 with a 4.82 ERA and 37 strikeouts against five walks. Matt Kemp is 6-for-12 against McCarthy, who is 6-1 with a 3.73 ERA in eight career starts against the Padres.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Diego C Derek Norris left Friday’s game with a right quad contusion and is listed as day-to-day.
2. The Dodgers have won 12 of their last 17 games against the Padres.
3. Los Angeles optioned RHP Carlos Frias to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled OF Andrew Toles.