Dodgers at Phillies
Chase Utley heard plenty of cheers at Citizens Bank Park during his 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, and again as an opponent for the first time on Tuesday. After receiving a curtain call following each of his two homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Utley looks to continue his emotional homecoming in style as the visitors vie for a series victory over the Phillies on Wednesday.
A six-time All-Star, Utley launched a solo shot in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the seventh of Tuesday's 15-5 triumph in his first game in the City of Brotherly Love since being traded last Aug. 19. The 37-year-old has been heating up over his last seven games, recording three homers, seven RBIs and five runs scored. Utley helped Los Angeles take a half-game lead over San Francisco in the National League West, while Philadelphia saw its four-game winning streak come to a screeching halt. Cesar Hernandez launched a solo homer to extend his on-base streak to 22 games, but is just 11-for-55 in 14 career contests versus the Dodgers - including 1-for-3 in a small sample size against Wednesday starter Scott Kazmir.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet LA (Los Angeles), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Scott Kazmir (9-6, 4.44 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jake Thompson (1-1, 8.68)
Kazmir suffered his third straight loss last Wednesday despite allowing two runs on four hits in six innings in a 6-2 setback to Philadelphia. The 32-year-old kept the ball in the park - although the runs he permitted came as the bullpen served up a three-run homer to Freddie Galvis - after being taken deep six times in his previous five outings. Kazmir looks to get back on track on the road, where he has won each of his last three starts to improve to 5-0 while limiting the opposition to a .207 batting average.
Thompson rebounded from a rocky major-league debut by yielding three runs on two hits in five innings in a win over Colorado on Friday. The 22-year-old tossed just 87 pitches versus the Rockies before receiving the hook prior to the sixth. Thompson has issued five walks in 9 1/3 innings with the Phillies after allowing just 37 in 21 appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles LF Howie Kendrick is 14-for-25 with two homers, eight RBIs and six runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.
2. Phillies 1B Ryan Howard belted a two-run blast to improve to 6-for-14 with two homers, 10 RBIs and four runs scored in his last four contests.
3. Dodgers SS Corey Seager is riding a seven-game hitting streak.