Los Angeles @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Mar 20, 2010 ) San Diego 5, LA Dodgers 1
As Andre Ethier goes, so too do the Los Angeles Dodgers. And lately things have been going swimmingly.
In part to some inspired hitting from Ethier, the Dodgers are riding the momentum of a four-game winning streak into their key divisional series with the San Diego Padres that gets underway on Friday.
San Diego currently holds the top spot in the National League West and sits five games clear of the third-place Dodgers.
Ethier will try to keep his hot bat going as he comes off three strong games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in which he tallied six hits - including four doubles, drove in six runs and scored five time.
The 28-year-old currently leads the NL in the Triple Crown categories, boasting a .385 average with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs. He has reached bases safely in all but two games which he has started.
Ethier’s surge has helped contribute to making the Dodgers one of the top offense’s in the NL. The club ranks first in average (.277) and second in both runs (181) and RBIs (172).
It’s the pitching, however, that has been the team’s downfall to this point as they have had to piece together a serviceable starting staff.
Evident of that is Friday’s starter Ramon Ortiz, who will be making his first start in the big leagues since May 26, 2007. The veteran right-hander has served out of the bullpen after making the club on a minor-league contract.
Ortiz, who will turn 37 this month, made stops in Japan and the minors before resurfacing this season. He currently is 1-1 with a 5.16 ERA in 14 appearances.
Taking the ball for San Diego is Jon Garland, who will be pitching against his former squad.
Garland, who spent the stretch run of last season with Los Angeles following a trade from Arizona, is off to a nice start in his new surroundings. The right-hander is 4-2 with a 1.71 ERA through seven starts.
Garland will try to build off the performance of teammate Mat Latos, who tossed a one-hitter against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
Friday’s contest marks the return of Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is expected to join the club after being activated from the disabled list with a left hamstring strain. Furcal was off to a nice start prior to the injury, batting .309 with eight stolen bases in 19 games.
Fellow shortstop Everth Cabrera is also expected to be back in the lineup for the Padres as he returns from a right hamstring injury.