Phillies at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won a major league-high 40 games this season behind a potent offense and a rotation that always seems to deliver. Los Angeles leads the National League in runs scored and its starters are 14-1 with a 1.86 ERA in the last 19 contests as the team tries to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
The Dodgers (40-19), who entered June 20 games over .500 for the first time since 1974, have won 17 straight regular-season games started by Clayton Kershaw after rookie Will Smith belted his first career homer on Saturday for a 4-3 walk-off victory - their fourth straight triumph and eighth in nine contests. Philadelphia superstar Bryce Harper (.252) is 10-for-20 with two home runs and nine RBIs in his last five games after belting a two-run shot in the eighth inning on Saturday to forge a 3-3 tie. Los Angeles third baseman Justin Turner has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but could play Sunday, with manager Dave Roberts telling reporters: “It's still a minor situation. He ran (Saturday) and said it felt better, considerably better.” Philadelphia's Nick Pivetta on Sunday gets another chance to prove he belongs in the rotation as he opposes Rich Hill, who has recorded three straight quality starts.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (3-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Rich Hill (1-1, 2.73)
Pivetta allowed three runs, three hits (two homers) and two walks while recording six strikeouts in five innings of a 4-3 victory over St. Louis on Tuesday in his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old Canadian was pegged to be Philadelphia's No. 2 starter coming out of spring training but went 2-1 with an 8.35 ERA in his first four turns to earn a demotion in April. Chris Taylor is 3-for-5 with two solo home runs against Pivetta, who is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts versus the Dodgers - both of which took place during his rookie season in 2017.
Hill did not factor in the decision against the New York Mets on Tuesday after yielding two runs and six hits while recording six strikeouts in six innings of Los Angeles' 7-3 loss. The 39-year-old native of Massachusetts hasn't permitted more than three runs in any of his six turns this season. Hill is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven career games (four starts) versus the Phillies but hasn't faced them since 2013 with Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles RF Cody Bellinger (major league-best .379 batting average) has reached base in 54 of 57 games this season and is hitting .400 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in 110 home at-bats.
2. Philadelphia OF-INF Scott Kingery (.347) went 2-for-4 on Saturday and is 6-for-16 in his last four games.
3. Dodgers 1B David Freese on Saturday extended his hitting streak to seven games (9-for-18) with his fifth home run of the season.