The Los Angeles Dodgers look to continue their incredible month of July as they take on the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium for the second part of the annual Freeway Series.
The Dodgers are 11-2 so far in July and have expanded their lead in the National League West to 9.5 games over the second-place San Diego Padres. On the other end, the Angels have continued their free fall and sit 20 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West with an overall record of 39-51.
Both teams are on opposite ends of the standings, but the Freeway Series is always competitive regardless of the current state of each club. The Angels’ most recent series loss to the Astros came down to a pair of one-run games and they have played inspired baseball in stretches.
Clayton Kershaw gets the start on Friday and tries to build on a successful showing that garnered a ninth career All-Star Game selection. For the game to be held in Dodger Stadium, the surefire Hall of Famer has explained he will “try to take it all in as best I can.”
Kershaw enters 6-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 2.57 FIP. Kershaw’s most recent outing against the Chicago Cubs was his longest start of the season in which he pitched 7.2 innings and only allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out 10 batters.
The Angels counter with a southpaw of their own in Patrick Sandoval, who is 3-4 record with a 2.95 ERA in 14 starts. He is allowing a .240 batting average to opposing hitters this season and is posting the second-highest walk rate of his big league career.
Sandoval is just one start removed from an outing in which he allowed five earned runs over five innings to the Astros, who possess similar offensive characteristics to the Dodgers. However, Sandoval’s strikeout numbers have trended upwards in his previous three starts.
The Angels have been without Mike Trout since he was removed from Tuesday’s game with upper-back spasms, and he remains out for the series opener against the Dodgers.
Freddie Freeman has been on a tear in the month of July, batting .412 to go along with a .706 slugging percentage and 223 wRC+. He tormented both the Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals over the past week, with 15 hits in 32 plate appearances.
Fellow All-Star Game snub Will Smith has a streak of six consecutive games with an RBI.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
DH: Will Smith
3B: Justin Turner
2B: Hanser Alberto
CF: Trayce Thompson
C: Austin Barnes
LF: Gavin Lux
Angels lineup
2B: Michael Stefanic
DH: Shohei Ohtani
CF: Taylor Ward
SS: Luis Rengifo
RF: Jo Adell
1B: Jared Walsh
3B: Jonathan Villar
C: Kurt Suzuki
LF: Brandon Marsh
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