Braves at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers try for their 10th straight home victory when they go for a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Los Angeles increased its National League-leading run total to 205 with Tuesday's 9-0 win, giving it six straight series victories over Atlanta that includes a 3-1 triumph in the 2018 NL Division Series.
Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday will try to remain undefeated versus the Braves after pitching a gem in the NLDS and opposes Mike Foltynewicz, who is slow to regain the form that produced a 2.85 ERA last season. The Dodgers hope history repeats itself as Hyun-Jin Ryu, who preceded Kershaw with a stellar performance in the NLDS, threw a four-hitter on Tuesday. Justin Turner recorded career highs with three home runs and six RBIs with his ninth career four-hit effort and is 17-for-41 in his last 10 contests. Cody Bellinger, whose 14 home runs are second in baseball to Christian Yelich's 15, saw his average fall to .403 after going 2-for-4 on Tuesday - his seventh straight game without a homer.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-1, 5.06 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 2.77)
Foltynewicz has allowed 10 runs - six earned - and 14 hits with eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings over two starts this season, which was delayed nearly a month because of a bone spur in his right elbow, after an 11-2 loss to San Diego on Thursday during which he struggled with his slider. "Last year was my really good year with it, and maybe guys are sitting on it or looking for it, but it’s just not really getting that bite either,” the 27-year-old native of Illinois told reporters. “I’m still trusting everything, it’s just not getting movement like I want it to.” Kershaw is 1-for-1 with a walk and two RBIs versus Foltynewicz, who faced Los Angeles twice in the NLDS - losing Game 1 after allowing four runs and three hits (two homers) in two innings.
Kershaw wasn't sharp but didn't factor in the decision in the Dodgers' 4-3 victory at San Diego on Friday, allowing three runs and six hits - home runs to Manny Machado and Ian Kinsler among them - with six strikeouts in six innings. “It was just one of those nights,” the 31-year-old Dallas native told reporters. “They scored early. I wasn’t making a lot of pitches, so with our team, you just got to keep us in it as long as you possibly can. You’re going to have nights like that." Freddie Freeman is 4-for-17 with a solo home run, eight strikeouts and three walks against Kershaw, who allowed two hits in eight frames of the Dodgers' 3-0 victory over Atlanta in Game 2 and is 6-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 13 starts - playoffs included - versus the Braves.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bellinger is hitting .438 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs in 17 home games this season.
2. Atlanta is batting .163 in 129 at-bats with runners in scoring position in its last 15 contests after going 0-for-2 on Tuesday.
3. Los Angeles SS Corey Seager (.234) had Tuesday off after going 4-for-12 with four runs scored in his previous three games.