The Los Angeles Dodgers bats have come alive as they’ve hit seven home runs in the first two of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Los Angeles heads into play Thursday with a 1.5-game lead in the National League West, which their largest since mid-April.
Ross Stripling gets the nod for another start as the Dodgers elected to push back Bud Norris’ expected return to Friday. Stripling is 3-4 with a 4.07 ERA, 3.66 FIP and 1.22 WHIP in 14 games (10 starts).
He began the season as the club’s fifth starter and was recalled in late July to serve as long reliever. However, Stripling’s last two games have both been starts due to injuries.
The 26-year-old has fared better on the road than at home, going 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA in five road games (two starts); that’s compared to a 4.53 ERA at Dodger Stadium.
In his last start on Aug. 12 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Stripling gave up five runs, but was able to complete seven innings of work. The Phillies send right-hander Jerad Eickhoff to the mound to try and slow down the hot Dodgers offense.
The 26-year-old is 8-12 with a 3.82 ERA, 4.02 FIP and 1.23 WHIP on the season. He has struck out 120 and walked 33 in 143.2 innings of work. Eickhoff is 5-5 with a 3.05 ERA at home this season.
Eickhoff has given up three earned runs or less in 19 of his 24 starts.
The top eight in the Dodgers’ lineup Thursday is the same as it’s been the past two games. Since the All-Star break, Los Angeles leads the National League with a .473 slugging percentage and .814 on-base plus slugging.
Since July 23, Joc Pederson leads the Majors with a 1.251 OPS. He had three hits and reached base four times in Wednesday’s victory. Since July 10, Justin Turner leads the NL in home runs home runs (18), RBIs (49) and slugging percentage (.653).
He has 22 home runs on the season, with ninth coming in the unofficial second half. Turner leads the Dodgers in homers and RBIs (69). Adrian Gonzalez slugged a pair of home runs Wednesday, which his first multi homer game since July 2015.
He has hit safely in each of his last 10 games, batting .450 (18-for-40) with 11 RBIs during that span.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Josh Reddick
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
LF: Howie Kendrick
P: Ross Stripling
Phillies lineup:
CF: Odubel Herrera
SS: Freddy Galvis
3B: Maikel Franco
1B: Ryan Howard
C: Cameron Rupp
LF: Jimmy Paredes
RF: Aaron Altherr
2B: Taylor Featherston
P: Jerad Eickhoff
