Dodgers at Diamondbacks
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been scorching hot as the summer goes on, winning 13 of their last 14 overall and 24 of 27 since July 4 to all but put the National League West title on ice. On pace for 115 wins this season, the Dodgers look to inch closer to that staggering total on Tuesday when they begin to wrap up a nine-game road trip with the first of three contests at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Justin Turner raised his batting average to an NL-best .349 after belting a two-run homer and scoring three times in Sunday's 8-0 rout of the New York Mets. The 32-year-old is 13-for-37 with a homer and five RBIs against Arizona this season, but just 1-for-9 with three strikeouts versus Tuesday starter Zack Godley. Majors-best Los Angeles leads Colorado by 15 1/2 games and third-place Arizona by 16, although the Diamondbacks - loser of four of seven - likely are more concerned with their five-game advantage over Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot. Paul Goldschmidt had an RBI double in Sunday's 6-3 setback to San Francisco to improve to 8-for-16 with five extra-base hits (three homers), 10 RBIs and four runs scored during his four-game hitting streak.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, SportsNet Los Angeles, FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (10-4, 3.79 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (5-4, 2.86)
Maeda posted his fourth win in as many starts last Tuesday after scattering two hits and striking out six over seven innings in a 3-2 victory at Atlanta. The 29-year-old Japanese star is 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA in a six-game span, but yielded 10 runs in nine innings of two April appearances against Arizona. Jake Lamb is 9-for-20 with two homers and six RBIs against Maeda, although the right-hander has limited Goldschmidt to a 4-for-21 performance at the plate.
Godley recorded his second straight scoreless outing after scattering three hits in six innings of Wednesday's 3-0 triumph at the Chicago Cubs. The 27-year-old permitted seven hits and struck out 12 in his last two trips to the mound. Godley pitched well versus the Dodgers on July 5, also allowing three hits and just one run over 5 2/3 innings to settle for the hard-luck loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles rookie 1B Cody Bellinger has homered in back-to-back contests and four times in his last six games.
2. Arizona RF David Peralta has scored at least one run in five straight contests.
3. Dodgers SS Corey Seager is 9-for-16 during his four-game hitting streak and is 11-for-35 with a homer, eight RBIs and six runs scored versus Arizona this season.