PREMIUM
Rogers' 3-Game SWEEPER PASS
(MLB) LA Dodgers vs. San Francisco,
Money Line: -119.00 LA Dodgers (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -119.00 LA Dodgers (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants was put on hold Friday when a major storm forced the first rainout at AT&T Park since 2006. The two long-time and bitter rivals opened the 2018 season with a four-game series against each other. That match-up provided a rarity, as the Giants won the first two games by identical 1-0 scores, before the Dodgers won the final two games of the series by scores of 5-0 and 9-0. The teams will attempt to start an abbreviated two-game series on Saturday and just maybe, each will score at least once in today's game. After splitting their four-game series against the Giants, the Dodgers went to Arizona and got swept in a three-game series by the Diamondbacks, scoring only one run in the final two contests. The 2-5 Dodgers are hoping to jump-start their offense against the Giants, who hit four home HRs in Wednesday's 10-1 victory over Seattle to even their record at 3-3.
The pitching matchup: Rich Hill (1-0, 0.00 ERA) takes the mound for LA and Chris Stratton (0-1, 5.06 ERA) for San Fran. Hill tossed six scoreless innings against the Giants last Sunday, allowing five hits with five strikeouts in the Dodgers' 9-0 victory. A concern may be that Hill posted a 4.06 ERA in 11 road starts last season, compared to a 2.77 ERA in 14 outings at Dodger Stadium. Hill has spent a majority of his 14-year career in the American League and has never won at AT&T Park, going 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts. However, he is 6-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 12 career starts against the Giants. Stratton took the loss against the Dodgers on Sunday (opposite Hill) after giving up three runs with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Stratton has bounced between the minors and majors for the past two seasons but earned a spot in the rotation after posting a 3.29 ERA over 27 1/3 innings in spring training and drawing raves for his improved curveball.
The pick: I noted that Stratton earned a spot in the Giants' starting rotation to open the 2018 season but that was only possible because of spring training injuries to Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija. He owns a 1-2 record and 5.91 ERA in four career games (including three starts) against the Dodgers. In contrast, despite battling blister problems over the past two years, the Dodgers won 14 of Hill's last 21 starts in 2017, before going 3-1 in his four postseason starts. He went 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts last season against the Giants and in his season debut last Sunday, threw six scoreless innings against them, allowing five hits with five strikeouts. Don't see much changing here. Make the Dodgers a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: Rich Hill (1-0, 0.00 ERA) takes the mound for LA and Chris Stratton (0-1, 5.06 ERA) for San Fran. Hill tossed six scoreless innings against the Giants last Sunday, allowing five hits with five strikeouts in the Dodgers' 9-0 victory. A concern may be that Hill posted a 4.06 ERA in 11 road starts last season, compared to a 2.77 ERA in 14 outings at Dodger Stadium. Hill has spent a majority of his 14-year career in the American League and has never won at AT&T Park, going 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts. However, he is 6-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 12 career starts against the Giants. Stratton took the loss against the Dodgers on Sunday (opposite Hill) after giving up three runs with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Stratton has bounced between the minors and majors for the past two seasons but earned a spot in the rotation after posting a 3.29 ERA over 27 1/3 innings in spring training and drawing raves for his improved curveball.
The pick: I noted that Stratton earned a spot in the Giants' starting rotation to open the 2018 season but that was only possible because of spring training injuries to Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija. He owns a 1-2 record and 5.91 ERA in four career games (including three starts) against the Dodgers. In contrast, despite battling blister problems over the past two years, the Dodgers won 14 of Hill's last 21 starts in 2017, before going 3-1 in his four postseason starts. He went 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts last season against the Giants and in his season debut last Sunday, threw six scoreless innings against them, allowing five hits with five strikeouts. Don't see much changing here. Make the Dodgers a 10* play.
