Dodgers at Brewers
Manny Machado delivered just what the Los Angeles Dodgers hoped for after acquiring him during the All-Star break, but it was a pair of the team's surprise standouts that made a bigger impact in his debut. The Dodgers set their sights on a sixth victory in seven tries Saturday, when they visit the struggling Milwaukee Brewers for the middle contest of their three-game series.
Machado collected two singles and two walks in five plate appearances during his first game with Los Angeles since being obtained from Baltimore on Wednesday for five prospects. Max Muncy reached base three times and hit a critical RBI double in the seventh inning to pad the Dodgers' lead, while Enrique Hernandez belted a three-run homer in the ninth after Milwaukee had pulled within a run one frame earlier. The Brewers went 1-7 on an eight-game road trip leading into the break and could not snap out of their funk in the opener despite getting three hits from Christian Yelich and fellow All-Star Jesus Aguilar's 25th home run, tying him for first in the NL. Milwaukee hasn't received much help from its pitching staff during its seven-game slide, allowing at least five runs in all but one of the defeats.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (3-4, 2.74 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (6-7, 3.78)
Kershaw hasn't lost since late April in part due to a couple of stints on the disabled list but enters the second half of the season with a losing record for the first time since his rookie campaign in 2008. The seven-time All-Star settled for a no-decision Sunday versus the Los Angeles Angels after permitting three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Ryan Braun is 10-for-33 with a homer against Kershaw, who is 4-0 with a 1.39 ERA in six career starts at Miller Park.
Anderson gave up back-to-back solo homers in the opening frame and very little in the 4 1/3 innings thereafter but still was saddled with the loss at Pittsburgh last Saturday. The 30-year-old Texan has surrendered 19 home runs - tied for the sixth-highest total in the majors - but allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five outings. Matt Kemp (7-for-20, two homers) is among seven Dodgers with at least one home run against Anderson, who is 1-1 with a 5.44 ERA in nine career starts versus the Dodgers.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers have yielded four runs or fewer in 15 of their last 16 contests and no more than five in any of the games over that span.
2. Milwaukee MGR Craig Counsell told reporters Braun (back strain) could come off the disabled list as early as Saturday.
3. The Dodgers optioned OF Andrew Toles to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday to make room on the roster for Machado.