Dodgers at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are making a strong push to stay relevant in the National League wild-card race and can establish their longest winning streak of the year when they continue their four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. After taking the opener of the set 11-5, the Diamondbacks survived a see-saw affair on Friday, recording a 5-4 triumph for their fifth consecutive victory.
The surge has pushed Arizona three games over .500 (69-66) for the first time since mid-June and within 4 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot in the NL. Eduardo Escobar belted a two-run homer in Friday's win, giving him three blasts and eight RBIs during the team's five-game winning streak. Enrique Hernandez recorded a pair of doubles and scored twice for the NL-leading Dodgers, who will be trying to avoid their first three-game slide since the All-Star break. Clayton Kershaw has posted a 2.69 ERA in 32 career matchups with the Diamondbacks but is a pedestrian 6-8 with a 3.84 mark at Chase Field, where he'll start Saturday opposite Robbie Ray.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA, KTLA (Los Angeles), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (13-3, 2.76 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (11-7, 3.86)
Kershaw saw his string of six straight wins come to an end Sunday against the New York Yankees after giving up three runs in seven innings while registering a season-high 12 strikeouts. He has served up three home runs in each of his last two starts following a seven-start stretch during which he allowed a total of only two. The 31-year-old has allowed four earned runs just three times all year, but once was in an 8-5 loss at Arizona on June 24.
Ray returned from a back injury to spin five scoreless innings while yielding three hits and recording six strikeouts in a win at Milwaukee on Sunday. The 27-year-old Tennessean is 5-2 at home with 79 strikeouts in 55 1/3 frames, including a pair of quality starts versus Los Angeles. Chris Taylor is 9-for-28 with three doubles against Ray while Corey Seager has managed just five hits in 29 career at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers placed INF Max Muncy (wrist) on the 10-day injured list and activated INF-OF Kristopher Negron from the IL.
2. Diamondbacks OF Josh Rojas hit a two-run homer on Friday, his first in 14 major-league games.
3. Arizona has won five of its last six home meetings with Los Angeles.