After Kenley Jansen blew his sixth save opportunity of the season and the Chicago Cubs won in extra innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers now start the first of two rookies scheduled to take the mound this weekend.
For Julio Urias, it’s his second time facing the Cubs. He drew them back on June 2, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits, including three home runs. The outing was just the second of his career.
Urias pitched well in spurts at Wrigley Field but was punished for pitches left up in the zone. He’s coming off arguably his best start of the season, throwing six shutout innings with six strikeouts against the Cincinnati Reds.
Urias has been particularly effective during August, going 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 16.2 innings pitched.
In 13 games (11 starts) this season, Urias is 4-2 with a 3.95 ERA, 100 ERA+, 3.32 FIP, 1.53 WHIP and 62 strikeouts over 57 innings pitched.
Jason Hammel faces the Dodgers a second time in 2016, but his first start only lasted two innings because of a leg cramp. Hammel had three strikeouts and allowed just one hit prior to exiting.
He was backed by four Cubs relievers who combined to thrown seven no-hit innings. On the year, Hammel is 13-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. However, in 12 road starts, he’s just 5-5 with a 4.41 ERA.
Hammel struggled in his last outing, throwing just 3.1 innings. He allowed six runs on 10 hits, two of which were home runs, to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Chase Utley is a career 3-for-8 with one triple, two RBI and two walks against Hammel. Although he isn’t in the lineup, Howie Kendrick is 7-for-16 with two doubles and five RBI lifetime off the right-hander.
The Dodgers are 2-2 on their six-game homestand and enter play with a one-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS Corey Seager
3B Justin Turner
1B Adrian Gonzalez
C Yasmani Grandal
RF Josh Reddick
CF Joc Pederson
LF Andrew Toles
P Julio Urias
Cubs lineup:
CF: Dexter Fowler
3B: Kris Bryant
1B: Anthony Rizzo
RF: Ben Zobrist
SS: Addison Russell
LF: Jorge Soler
C: Wilson Contreras
2B: Javier Baez
P: Jason Hammel
