Padres at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers own the best record in the major leagues at 60-29 and have been nearly unbeatable at home, where they’ve lost just nine of their 46 games. The Dodgers look to register their 10th straight win at home on Friday as they continue their four-game series against the slumping San Diego Padres, who have lost five in a row.
Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy homered while Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed six scoreless innings in Thursday’s 5-1 victory as the Dodgers moved 14 1/2 games ahead of second-place Colorado in the National League West. Bellinger, who was named to his second All-Star team last week, became the fastest player in Dodger history to reach 30 homers and the 38th player in major-league history to hit at least 30 shots by the break. San Diego began the season with high expectations but sits three games under .500 and needs more production from the bottom of its lineup as Wil Myers, Ian Kinsler and Austin Hedges went a combined 0-for-8 on Thursday. Eric Hosmer broke out of an 0-for-14 slump with two hits for the Padres, who are just 2 1/2 games ahead of last-place San Francisco in the division.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.22 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 3.23)
Lauer did not factor in the decision against St. Louis last Friday, when he gave up one run while throwing 98 pitches in four innings. The 24-year-old native of Ohio has gone 3-3 with a 2.82 ERA over his last eight starts. Bellinger has recorded four hits in nine at-bats against Lauer, who is 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in four career starts versus the Dodgers.
Kershaw took the loss at Colorado on Saturday after allowing five runs - four earned - in seven innings, but Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts was pleased with the outing. “Honestly, I thought everything was good,” Roberts told reporters. “He had life on his fastball in the zone, moving it around. They weren’t getting a lot of good swings off.” Myers is 3-for-35 with 13 strikeouts against Kershaw, who is 19-6 with a 2.02 ERA in 36 career starts versus San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers 3B Justin Turner (elbow) returned to the starting lineup Thursday and was hitless in four at-bats.
2. San Diego optioned LHP Brad Wieck to Triple-A El Paso, placed Robert Stock (biceps) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow RHP Gerardo Reyes from the Chihuahuas.
3. Dodgers OF A.J. Pollock (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday and could be activated from the IL next weekend.