The Los Angeles Dodgers look to complete a three-game sweep over the San Diego Padres in their final home game of the regular season. With Tuesday’s win, the Dodgers clinched the best record in the National League, guaranteeing them home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series.
Los Angeles also won their 56th home game of the season on Tuesday, which set a new record for most victories at Dodger Stadium since the team relocated from Brooklyn in 1958. They can add to that and move close to securing homefield for the World Series with Rich Hill on the mound.
In his last start against the San Francisco Giants, the southpaw allowed one run and five hits over six innings, complete with nine strikeouts. Over 22 innings pitched this month, Hill has put up a 2.45 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 30 strikeouts to six walks.
For the year, the 37-year-old has posted a 3.50 ERA, 3.85 FIP and 1.12 WHIP in 128.2 innings — the most in a season since his 2007 campaign — with 10.9 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine.
Hill has enjoyed success against the Padres over the course of his 13-year career, pitching to a collective 3.76 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 38.1 innings with 46 strikeouts — good for 10.8 strikeouts per nine.
On the mound for the Padres is Clayton Richard, who looks to build off his strong outing against the Colorado Rockies last Thursday. In 7.1 shutout innings, the left-hander yielded eight baserunners but struck out eight batters to boot — earning his eighth win of the year.
The excellent outing improved Richard’s overall numbers for the season, though there’s still little to be desired. In 192.1 innings to date, he owns a 4.63 ERA, 4.21 FIP and 1.50 WHIP with a Major League-leading 232 hits allowed.
Over his career against the Dodgers, Richard has pitched to a 4.17 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 118.2 innings with 73 strikeouts to 43 walks.
Displaying his defensive versatility as of late, Cody Bellinger has been on a tear at the plate over the last two weeks. In 52 plate appearances, he’s batting .273/.385/.591 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs.
Bellinger has additionally reached base safely in 21 of 25 September contests, posting an on-base percentage of .369. During that span, he has tallied six doubles, two triples and five home runs to go along with 16 RBI and 16 runs scored.
The Dodgers will not have the luxury or possibility of calling on Adrian Gonzalez off the bench, as manager Dave Roberts announced the club has shut down the veteran second baseman for the remainder of the year.
Wil Myers, one of the few bright spots in the Padres lineup this season, is slashing .227/.346/.477 (115 wRC+) in his previous 52 trips to the plate with five doubles and two home runs.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
LF: Kiké Hernandez
2B: Logan Forsythe
C: Austin Barnes
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Rich Hill
Padres lineup:
CF: Manuel Margot
2B: Carlos Asuaje
1B: Wil Myers
RF: Hunter Renfroe
3B: Christian Villanueva
SS: Yangervis Solarte
LF: Jabari Blash
C: Austin Hedges
P: Clayton Richard
