There’s mixed emotions in the Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse heading into their series finale against the San Francisco Giants. While the Dodgers have won the first two games of the series and currently sit three games ahead of the rival Giants in the National League West, a clubhouse favorite, A.J. Ellis, was traded earlier in the day to the Philadelphia Phillies.
But business must go on as the Dodgers send Ross Stripling to the mound to go for the sweep over San Francisco. The right-hander is 3-4 with a 4.04 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 1.25 WHIP in 15 games (11 starts) in his rookie season. He’s 2-3 with a 4.76 ERA at Dodger Stadium.
Stripling has only faced the Giants once in his career, in what was a memorable — and somewhat controversial — Major League debut. He carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, retired the first batter, but was removed because of a pitch/innings limit.
Opposing Stripling is left-hander Matt Moore. He is 7-10 with a 4.18 ERA, 4.52 FIP and 1.30 WHIP on the season between the Giants and Tampa Bay Rays.
Moore is still searching for his first win with San Francisco, as he’s 0-3 with a 4.70 ERA in four starts since being acquired.
As a member of the Rays he faced the Dodgers on July 27, throwing 6.2 innings without allowing an earned run and striking out five.
Howie Kendrick has had a bit of success of Moore in his career, going 6-for-14 with two RBIs. Kendrick bats second in Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ lineup. Rob Segedin, who started in the first game of the series and homered off Madison Bumgarner but missed the second game as his wife was giving birth to their first child, is back in the starting lineup. He’s 4-for-12 with a home run off left-handed pitching this season.
Adrian Gonzalez takes a 17-game hitting streak into play. In that span he is batting .412 (28-for-68) with 16 runs scored, seven doubles, six home runs and 22 RBIs. Justin Turner is 5-for-7 with one home run and two RBIs through the first two games of the series.
Turner lined a solo home run off Johnny Cueto on Wednesday, which was all the Dodgers got in their shutout victory. The homer ended Cueto’s no-hitter with one out in the fourth inning.
With Ellis on his way to Philadelphia, the Dodgers called up Shawn Zarraga from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Luis Avilan was optioned to Oklahoma City and Scott Van Slyke was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to clear room for Zarraga on the roster.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Kiké Hernandez
LF: Howie Kendrick
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Rob Segedin
2B: Charlie Culberson
P: Ross Stripling
Giants lineup:
CF: Denard Span
LF: Angel Pagan
C: Buster Posey
RF: Hunter Pence
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Eduardo Nunez
1B: Brandon Belt
2B: Joe Panik
P: Matt Moore
