Braves at Dodgers
Rookie right-hander Walker Buehler has provided a welcomed boost to the injury-depleted Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff, and his team will need another big performance in Friday’s opener of a three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves. Los Angeles saw Thursday’s scheduled starter Dennis Santana scratched minutes before first pitch, and its bullpen responded with nine pitchers covering nine innings in an 8-7 victory at Pittsburgh.
The Dodgers have used 17 pitchers in their past two games but keep finding ways to win, wrapping up a 5-1 road trip with their 15th victory in their past 20 games to return to .500 on the season. The Braves dropped two of three games in San Diego to kick off their six-game road trip, and enter Friday tied with Washington for first place in the National League East. Right fielder Nick Markakis continues to enjoy a breakout campaign at age 34, entering Thursday’s off day leading the NL in hits (81), ranking fourth in batting average (.328) and sixth in on-base percentage (.392). The series matches three of the top four hitters in the NL in Markakis, Dodgers outfielder and league leader Matt Kemp (.349), and Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman (.338).
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), SportsNet Los Angeles
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.83 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (3-1, 2.74)
McCarthy makes his return to Los Angeles for the first time after going 11-7 with a 4.51 ERA in 33 games for the Dodgers from 2015-17. The 34-year-old has provided stability for Atlanta’s youthful rotation since being acquired from the Dodgers in an offseason trade that sent Kemp to Los Angeles, holding opponents to three earned runs or fewer nine times in 12 starts. He earned a no-decision Saturday against Washington, giving up two runs on four hits in six innings.
Buehler has surrendered more than two earned runs just twice in his first eight starts since joining the rotation in late April. One of those instances came in his last outing Saturday at Colorado, as the 23-year-old gave up four runs on eight hits over five innings in a no-decision. Buehler, who makes his first career appearance against Atlanta, has walked just four hitters with 31 strikeouts over 30 innings across his past five starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles RHP Pedro Baez, sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City Wednesday, ended up being recalled before Thursday’s game when LHP Tony Cingrani landed on the disabled list and picked up the victory after pitching two innings.
2. Freeman has homered in back-to-back games and owns hits in 18 of his past 19 contests, batting .377 in that span.
3. Dodgers LF Joc Pederson belted two homers Thursday while 1B Cody Bellinger hit his third in as many games, giving Los Angeles 34 blasts during its 20-game spurt.