Saturday 9/12/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (80-60) at Diamondbacks (68-73)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: September 12, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

With a sizable lead in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers will simply move on from one of their more forgettable performances of the season.

They can successfully do so by avoiding a third straight loss Saturday night on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Los Angeles (80-60) won five straight and 13 of 15 before falling 3-2 to the Angels on Wednesday. The Dodgers, however, never had much of a chance to bounce back Friday after Arizona (68-73) scored 10 runs in the first two innings en route to a 12-4 victory.

Owners of a 7 1/2-game division lead over San Francisco, the Dodgers won't dwell on their worst defeat since falling 15-2 to the New York Mets on July 25.

"Chalk it up to just one of those nights," losing pitcher Alex Wood said.

Los Angeles had won nine of the previous 10 against the Diamondbacks, who got four hits and three RBIs from shortstop Nick Ahmed and a two-run homer from Paul Goldschmidt to win for the third time in four contests.

After Arizona tagged Wood for eight runs in 1 2-3 innings, former Diamondback Mike Bolsinger (6-3, 2.97 ERA) takes the mound in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City last week. The right-hander gave up three runs on two homers in five innings of an 8-4 win at San Diego last Friday.

Auditioning for a chance to be part of Los Angeles' possible postseason roster, Bolsinger is just happy to be back in the majors.

"Whatever they want me to do, I will do it,' he said.

Bolsinger has been sharp in two starts againsT the Diamondbacks this season, going 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA and striking out 12 in 11 innings.

Goldschmidt is 0 for 4 with two strikeouts off Bolsinger, but is batting .400 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 13 games against the Dodgers this season.

The light-hitting Ahmed is batting .435 with two homers, four doubles, two triples and six RBIs in seven games this month.

Rubby De La Rosa (12-7, 4.49) looks to turn things around after posting a 6.19 ERA while losing two of his last three starts. The right-hander has yielded four of his 29 home runs in those contests, including a solo shot and two other runs in five innings of Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

'Just a couple mistakes, try to work on it, try to move on,' he said.

De La Rosa, who broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 2011, has looked even worse while giving up five home runs in going 0-2 with a 9.19 ERA in three starts against his former club this year.

Andre Ethier is 4 for 7 with a homer against him. Adrian Gonzalez, however, is 1 for 8 when facing De La Rosa.

Justin Ruggiano has never matched up with De La Rosa and is batting .171 against right-handers this season but could find his way into the lineup after hitting a grand slam Friday for his third home run his last four games.

He's 6 for 12 with 10 RBIs in his past five contests.

It's uncertain if Dodgers utility man Alex Guerrero will be available after straining a calf muscle Friday.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Fri, Sep 11 Final 4 to 12
Boxscores

GAME 2
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Sat, Sep 12 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Sun, Sep 13 - 4:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (76-65) at Angels (71-69)
Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 12, 2015 9:05 PM EDT

Lance McCullers has one lonely win since the beginning of July, but the Houston Astros' right-hander has the right opponent in front of him to change that.

McCullers' only victory in his last eight starts came against the Los Angeles Angels and he'll try to replicate that result Saturday night.

The Angels (71-69) pulled to within 4 1/2 games of the AL West-leading Astros (76-65) with Friday's 3-2 series-opening win. Texas is 1 1/2 back of Houston and three games ahead of Los Angeles for the second wild card.

Jered Weaver pitched six strong innings to beat Houston ace Dallas Keuchel.

'It's obviously an important series, and the only way we get these guys where we need them is to beat them,' Weaver said. 'We don't have to scoreboard watch when they're on our field, so it's a big win. Hopefully we can take another two out of this series and make things pretty interesting.'

The teams finish the season series - which the Astros lead 8-6 - with three games in Houston from Sept. 21-23.

McCullers (5-5, 3.07 ERA) has had little luck helping the Astros lengthen their division lead with a 1-3 record and 4.15 ERA since July 5. His only win during the span came from a 6-3 victory over the Angels on July 29 in which the right-hander allowed one run in seven innings. He has a 1.38 ERA in two career starts against the division foe.

Since allowing six runs while recording just one out in a 12-9 loss at Texas on Aug. 3, McCullers has logged three straight quality starts. He has a 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 20 innings in those games.

Los Angeles counters with Hector Santiago (8-9, 3.24), who had lost five straight decisions before allowing one hit over six innings and working around a career high-tying six walks in a 7-0 win over the Rangers on Sunday.

He escaped jams with inning-ending double plays in the first two innings.

'For some reason, I pitch better with guys on base and I bear down,' said Santiago, who made it through five innings for the first time since Aug. 16. 'I needed this one for sure, where I can show that I can still get guys out even if I put them on base.'

Santiago is 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA against the Astros in five career starts, but he has pitched well against them in two this year. He has limited Houston to three hits and one run - a Domingo Santana home run - in 12 1-3 innings.

Jose Altuve became the fastest player in Astros history to reach 800 hits with his first-inning double Friday, his 647th major league game. Cesar Cedeno held the previous mark at 707 games.

Los Angeles' Kole Calhoun is batting .410 with three homers, eight RBIs and 10 runs in nine games this month.

Teammate Mike Trout, though, is batting .195 in 12 games this season against Houston.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Angels
Fri, Sep 11 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at Angels
Sat, Sep 12 - 9:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at Angels
Sun, Sep 13 - 3:35PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (67-75) at Giants (73-68)
Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: September 12, 2015 9:05 PM EDT

Madison Bumgarner has a chance to match his career high in wins and get closer to becoming the first member of the San Francisco Giants to reach 20 in 22 years.

The left-hander can also register a seven-game home winning streak Saturday night against the San Diego Padres.

Bumgarner (17-7, 3.05 ERA) is one win shy of equaling his career high from last year and is also nearing 20, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by a Giants pitcher since John Burkett and Bill Swift in 1993.

He has won six of his last seven starts behind a 2.13 ERA but labored through six innings while yielding four runs and nine hits in Sunday's 7-4 victory at Colorado.

"When you're not having maybe your best game and you still find a way to win, that's definitely a big plus for you and something you can feel good about," Bumgarner said.

He should feel great about his performances at home, compiling a 1.42 ERA while winning six straight starts for the first time since setting a personal best with an eight-game run bridging 2011-12.

Bumgarner is 1-0 while allowing two runs with 20 strikeouts in 14 2-3 innings over two home meetings with San Diego.

The Giants (73-68) have won four of six following a seven-game slide. They've taken nine of the past 12 matchups with San Diego (67-75) after opening this three-game series with a 9-1 victory Friday.

The Padres turn to Ian Kennedy (8-13, 3.99), who is trying to bounce back from one of his worst performances of the season. The right-hander surrendered six runs - four earned - and a solo homer to opposing starter Kyle Kendrick in five innings of a 6-4 loss to Colorado on Monday.

"It's the worst feeling giving up a home run to a pitcher," said Kennedy, who had a 1.72 ERA while splitting four decisions over his five previous starts.

Kennedy is trying to win on the road for the first time since beating Oakland on June 18. He's 0-6 with a 3.30 ERA in seven starts since, receiving seven total runs of support.

The Padres didn't inspire much confidence with six hits Friday, giving them 14 while being outscored 25-5 during a three-game slide to the Giants.

The offense wasn't the only problem for Kennedy at San Francisco on June 24, as he surrendered six runs - one earned - with four walks in six innings of a 6-0 loss.

He beat the Giants at home July 20, yielding two runs in six innings of a 4-2 victory. He's 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in four overall matchups this year.

Kennedy has allowed Marlon Byrd to go 3 for 10 with two homers off him over the past three years. The right fielder enters 11 for 21 over the past five games after getting three hits and an RBI on Friday.

He's hitting .385 with two homers and 12 RBIs in seven home games since being acquired from Cincinnati on Aug. 20.

Buster Posey, who is batting .488 in the past 12 games, will try to tee off on Kennedy again. Posey is 17 for 43 while hitting a grand slam off him June 24. He's compiled a .419 average with 13 RBIs in his last nine home meetings with the Padres, losers of 13 of 19.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Giants
Fri, Sep 11 Final 1 to 9
Boxscores

GAME 2
Padres at Giants
Sat, Sep 12 - 9:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Giants
Sun, Sep 13 - 4:05PM EDT