The Miami Marlins have already won their first series at Dodger Stadium since 2010, and now look to complete a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the Dodgers, they’re in the midst of their first three-game losing streak this season.
Their 2-0 loss on Wednesday night was also the first time they’ve been shut out in 2016. The Dodgers turn to Kenta Maeda (3-0) to help salvage the series and prevent the sweep from coming to fruition.
Maeda has taken the league by storm in his first four starts with an impressive 0.36 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. He’s added 23 strikeouts to five walks over 25.1 innings pitched.
Maeda is coming off a start in which he tossed 6.1 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and collecting eight strikeouts. On the hill for the Marlins is right-hander Jose Fernandez (1-2).
Fernandez has been far from dominant in his first four starts, with an 4.37 ERA, though a 2.45 FIP is more indicative of what he’s capable of. Fernandez suffered his second loss of the season in his most recent outing.
The San Francisco Giants tagged him for four runs on seven hits in six innings. Fernandez last faced the Dodgers in May 2014, when he had 10 strikeouts and took a no-decision in a game Miami won.
Carl Crawford starts in left field for a second time since being reinstated from the disabled list this week. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he intends to play Crawford three or four times a week.
Joc Pederson, who didn’t start Wednesday with a left-hander on the mound, is back in center field. Pederson did appear as a pinch-hitter in the Dodgers’ loss, drawing a walk in the eighth inning to load the bases.
Justin Turner is spelled at third base by Howie Kendrick. The majority of Kendrick’s playing time this season has come in left field. Thursday’s start at third base is his fourth of the season.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Yasiel Puig
LF: Carl Crawford
3B: Howie Kendrick
CF: Joc Pederson
P: Kenta Maeda
Marlins lineup:
2B: Dee Gordon
3B: Martin Prado
LF: Christian Yelich
RF: Giancarlo Stanton
1B: Justin Bour
CF: Ichiro Suzuki
C: J.T. Realmuto
SS: Adeiny Hechavarria
P: Jose Fernandez
