Athletics at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers vie for their first three-game winning streak of the season when they host the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday in the final contest of their two-game interleague series. The Dodgers, whose first three victories of 2018 came against San Francisco, topped Oakland 4-0 in Tuesday's opener for their third shutout triumph.
Los Angeles belted three home runs in the win after hitting only four over its first nine games of the year, with Chris Taylor and Corey Seager beginning the first inning by going back-to-back. Cody Bellinger has recorded four multi-hit performances over his last seven games after going 0-for-9 in his first three contests. Khris Davis registered two of the five hits on Tuesday by Oakland, which has scored one run over its last two games after totaling 16 in its previous two. The Athletics are hoping it's the beginning of a hot stretch for the slugger, who was 3-for-29 in eight contests this month after going 4-for-10 over his first three games of the year.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (0-2, 6.55 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Alex Wood (0-1, 1.93)
Mengden will be glad to hit the road after losing his first two starts of the season at home to fall to 0-10 with a 6.45 ERA in 13 career turns at Oakland Coliseum. The 25-year-old native of Houston, who is 5-3 in 10 major-league road starts, is coming off a setback against Texas on Thursday in which he yielded four runs - three earned - and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Mengden is 2-3 with his only career complete game - a shutout - and a 3.52 ERA in six career interleague starts but has yet to face Los Angeles.
After limiting San Francisco to one hit over eight scoreless innings of a no-decision in his season debut, Wood took the loss at Arizona last Wednesday despite giving up only three runs in six frames. The 27-year-old from North Carolina has 10 strikeouts without issuing a walk in his two turns and has not served up a home run. Wood is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA with six walks and just two strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings in two career starts against the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics MGR Bob Melvin told reporters on Tuesday that OF Boog Powell (knee) will miss several weeks after injuring himself on Friday.
2. Seager registered 55 extra-base hits last season but had none this year prior to Tuesday's homer.
3. Oakland C Josh Phegley (fingers) went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts for Single-A Stockton on Tuesday as he began his rehab assignment.