Dodgers at Giants
After struggling out of the gate with his new club, Andrew McCutchen announced his arrival with the San Francisco Giants in a big way Saturday with a career-high six hits - including a three-run, walk-off homer. The five-time All-Star looks to build on his breakout performance Sunday, when the Giants conclude their abbreviated two-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.
Following a rare Bay Area rainout on Friday, the teams battled for 5 hours, 16 minutes on Saturday before McCutchen’s blast off Wilmer Font in the 14th inning gave the Giants a 7-5 victory. McCutchen drove in four runs and raised his batting average from .083 to .258, while Joe Panik continued to torment the Dodgers with three more hits. Chase Utley homered while Corey Seager recorded two hits and reached base five times for Los Angeles (2-6), which went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and has matched its worst start since 1976. Leadoff hitter Chris Taylor is batting .206 after going 1-for-7 on Saturday, while Logan Forsythe has registered four hits in his first 29 at-bats.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 2.25 ERA) vs. Giants LH Ty Blach (1-1, 5.79)
Kershaw is still seeking his first victory despite allowing a total of three runs in his first two starts - all on solo homers. The three-time Cy Young Award winner lost 1-0 on Opening Day to San Francisco and gave up two runs while striking out six in Tuesday’s 6-1 loss at Arizona. Brandon Belt is 4-for-54 with 28 strikeouts against Kershaw, who is 22-10 with a 1.60 ERA in 41 career starts versus the Giants.
Blach failed to build on his impressive Opening Day start against the Dodgers and took the loss on Tuesday versus Seattle, allowing six runs over 4 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old worked five scoreless frames against Los Angeles in the season opener, when he filled in for injured ace Madison Bumgarner. Blach owns a 1.41 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers, which is one of the lowest by any Giants pitcher since both teams moved west 60 years ago.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers are 9-22 at AT&T Park since 2015.
2. The teams used a combined 17 relievers in Saturday's contest.
3. With three scheduled days off in an eight-day span, the Dodgers have moved RHP Kenta Maeda from the rotation to the bullpen for the next week.