Dodgers at Indians
The Los Angeles Dodgers look to establish their longest winning streak of the year when they wrap up a three-game series at the Cleveland Indians on Thursday. The Dodgers have won six in a row for the second time in 2017 after taking the first two contests of the series, including Wednesday's 6-4 triumph.
The top pitching staff in baseball limited the Indians to two runs through the first eight innings of a 7-5 win Tuesday and it held the hosts scoreless through the first five frames Wednesday before hanging on in both games. Closer Kenley Jansen has helped rescue Los Angeles in the late innings with consecutive saves and dropped his ERA to 0.98, while Cleveland lefty Andrew Miller - who entered the series with a 0.29 ERA - has been charged with five runs in two relief appearances against the Dodgers. The Indians scratched leadoff hitter Jason Kipnis due to neck spasms prior to Wednesday's game but hope to have him back when they take on veteran southpaw Rich Hill. Cleveland, which is in danger of falling below .500 for the first time since April 17, gives the ball to Josh Tomlin.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (3-2, 3.77 ERA) vs. Indians RH Josh Tomlin (3-8, 5.73)
Hill has yet to last beyond five innings in seven starts this year, but he limited Cincinnati to one run and two hits in five frames to pick up a win his last time out. Opponents are hitting .224 overall against Hill but he has walked 16 batters over his last four starts. The 37-year-old, who posted a 6.28 ERA in a career-high 63 games out of the bullpen for Cleveland in 2013, has thrown just 4 2/3 innings in his career against the Indians.
Tomlin has been very inconsistent in 2017 and followed up back-to-back solid outings with a clunker versus the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, failing to get through three frames for the third time. He gave up nine hits in that outing and opponents are batting .314 against the Texas Tech product, although he remains atop the major league leaderboard in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.0) among qualified hurlers. The 32-year-old, who has not issued a walk over his last five starts, has never faced the Dodgers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig was suspended one game for making an obscene gesture at fans during Tuesday's game. Puig is appealing the suspension and was in the lineup Wednesday.
2. Cleveland is 1-9 in interleague play.
3. Indians 1B Carlos Santana is 1-for-23 over his last six games.