Giants at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants each began June with four-game winning streaks, but the arch-rivals appear to be headed in opposite directions based on their performances over the last week. Buoyed by the majors' most powerful offense this month, the Dodgers set their sights on a fourth straight win Friday when they host the opener of a three-game set with the Giants.
Los Angeles has homered 30 times and scored 87 runs in 11 games this month - both the highest marks in the majors entering Thursday's off-day - enabling the defending National League champions to win nine of 11 in June as part of its 19-6 surge since May 17. The Dodgers are 7-0-1 over their last eight series and improved to 4-1 on their current eight-game homestand Wednesday by defeating Texas 3-2 in 11 innings to complete a two-game sweep. San Francisco hasn't crawled more than four games over or five games under .500 all season long but appeared to be on its way to staying above the break-even mark after winning six of its first seven this month. The Giants followed that surge by dropping four of their next five and needed 16 innings Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep in Miami.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBC Bay Area (San Francisco), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Derek Holland (4-6, 4.54 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Ross Stripling (5-1, 1.65)
Holland hasn't worked more than 6 1/3 innings in any of his 13 turns, but he has been effective in his last two outings, including Sunday's win in Washington when he delivered five scoreless innings in a winning cause. The 31-year-old Ohio native is holding left-handed hitters to a .146 average, but he has registered only three quality starts. Holland has already faced the Dodgers twice this season, giving up a total of nine runs (seven earned) across 8 1/3 frames while recording a loss and a no-decision.
Stripling joined the Dodgers' injury-ravaged rotation in early May and has emerged as the club's best starter, yielding no more than two runs in any of his seven turns since leaving the bullpen for good. The Texas A&M product earned his fifth victory in as many starts Sunday against Atlanta, permitting a pair of solo shots among the four hits he allowed in 6 2/3 frames. Andrew McCutchen is 4-for-6 with a homer versus Stripling, who has tossed 4 2/3 scoreless relief innings against the Giants this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers OF Joc Pederson is tied for the major league lead with seven home runs this month while teammate 1B/3B Max Muncy is close behind with six.
2. McCutchen is batting .347 with five homers - including one in each of his last two games - and 15 RBIs over his last 18 contests.
3. Los Angeles' bullpen is 9-4 with a combined 2.95 ERA despite working 110 innings over the past 25 games.