Dodgers at Reds
Los Angeles' Hyun-Jin Ryu boasts a 1.87 ERA since the start of 2018, proving that he is among the best pitchers in the game - when healthy. The left-hander hasn't permitted a run over his last two starts and hopes to continue what is taking on the look of a Cy Young season when the Dodgers visit the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series.
"Very underrated,'' Los Angeles third baseman Justin Turner told reporters about Ryu, who boasts a minuscule 0.73 WHIP this season. "I think he likes it that way.'' Cincinnati snapped the Dodgers' 24-inning shutout streak during their 4-0 victory Saturday that also halted its five-game slide in the series. Reds right fielder Yasiel Puig helped stop his former club's four-game winning streak by going 2-for-4 with a two-run single Saturday and is 5-for-19 with a home run, four RBIs and six strikeouts in five games against Los Angeles this season. Tanner Roark takes the ball Saturday after yielding fewer than four runs in eight of his nine starts this season for the Reds, who have the lowest ERA in the National League at 3.31.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-1, 1.72 ERA) vs. Reds RH Tanner Roark (3-2, 3.50)
Ryu allowed one hit and one walk in eight innings of a 6-0 victory over Washington on May 12 after throwing a four-hit shutout versus Atlanta on May 7. The 32-year-old South Korean, who pitched only 213 2/3 innings from 2016-18 because of injuries, has struck out 54 against three walks over 52 1/3 innings this season with a .189 batting average against. Cincinnati's Joey Votto is 4-for-11 with a home run and no walks against Ryu, who is 3-2 with a 4.46 ERA in six starts against the Reds.
Roark yielded three runs and eight hits while striking out six in five innings of a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Illinois native had won his previous two starts and boasts a 2.55 ERA in his last three turns. Turner and teammate Cody Bellinger are a combined 0-for-10 versus Roark, who is 0-2 with a 3.63 ERA in four games (two starts) against the Dodgers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bellinger went 2-for-3 on Saturday and is 9-for-17 in his last five games, raising his average to .409.
2. Cincinnati OF Jesse Winker hit his 10th home run of the season Saturday while going 1-for-4 for the third straight game, raising his average to .221.
3. Turner (.283) was reduced to pinch-hitting duty, making the final out Saturday, after fouling a ball off his left shin and leaving Friday's game.