In what’s been a back-and-forth series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers concludes on Father’s Day under the hot afternoon sun at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles has won 10 of their last 13 home games, and can take three of four from Milwaukee with a victory.
With the Dodgers bullpen having thrown 16.1 innings thus far in the series, Kenta Maeda looks to snap the streak of short outings by the starter. He takes the mound just five days after being struck on his right shin by a Paul Goldschmidt line drive.
Maeda was immediately removed from the game but didn’t sustain serious injury and is said to only be dealing with a bruise at this point.
On the season, Maeda is 6-4 with a 2.75 ERA, 3.07 FIP and 1.08 WHIP. He’s recovered from a rough stretch in May, allowing two earned runs or less while going at least five innings in each of his last four outings.
Maeda is 2-4 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in seven starts at Dodger Stadium. He’s opposed by veteran right-hander Matt Garza. He makes just his second start after missing the first 10 weeks of the season with a strained right lat muscle.
Garza held the San Francisco Giants to one run on eight hits and had five strikeouts over four innings of work in his 2016 debut. In his lone career start against the Dodgers, Garza allowed three runs in six innings and suffered the loss.
Garza faces a Dodgers lineup that’s led by the red-hot Justin Turner. In his last six games, the third baseman is batting .500 (11-for-22) with one double, four home runs and 10 RBIs in his last six games. Turner’s six home runs this month are tied with Corey Seager and Brandon Moss for the third-most in the National League.
What’s more, Turner has three home runs in the past two games against the Brewers. He’s 2-for-5 with one home run and three RBIs in his career when facing Garza. Howie Kendrick has hit safely in his last five games, going 7-for-15 with a double, home run and two RBIs over that span.
Kendrick is 8-for-15 (.533) with one double and a home run in his career against Garza. Chase Utley returns to the lineup and bats leadoff, which bumps Joc Pederson to the six-hole. As expected, A.J. Ellis starts behind the plate.
Yasmani Grandal, who was hit by multiple foul balls on his right knee Saturday night, is available to pinch-hit, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Los Angeles added a fresh arm to their bullpen ahead of the four-game finale, recalling Carlos Frias and optioning Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Trayce Thompson
CF: Joc pederson
LF: Howie Kendrick
C: A.J. Ellis
P: Kenta Maeda
Brewers lineup:
SS: Jonathan Villar
2B: Scooter Genett
LF: Ryan Braun
1B: Chris Carter
3B: Aaron Hill
CF: Kirk Nieuwenhuis
C: Martin Maldonado
RF: Ramon Flores
P: Matt Garza
