Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 4, San Francisco 2
Maybe the 14th time will be the charm for San Francisco Giants right-hander Matt Cain.
In 13 previous starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cain is 0-7 with a 4.13 ERA. The Dodgers are one of only two National League teams - along with the Philadelphia Phillies - that Cain has never defeated.
Cain (6-6, 2.72) will start the second of the three-game series on Tuesday against Los Angeles right-hander John Ely (3-5, 3.86).
The Dodgers won the opener, 4-2, on a two-run homer in the eighth inning by Casey Blake - his first homer since May 26. The victory moved the Dodgers (41-35) a half-game ahead of the Giants (40-35) and four behind the NL West- leading San Diego Padres.
Los Angeles forced San Francisco to ground into five double plays, tying a franchise record. San Francisco leads the majors in hitting into double plays with 81.
The victory came one night after a disheartening 8-6 loss in 10 innings to the New York Yankees. The Dodgers carried a 6-2 lead into the ninth.
Cain has been among the steadiest pitchers in the National League the first 2 1/2 months of the season.
Cain was fourth in the National League in ERA (2.16) entering Thursday’s start against the Houston Astros - and he had allowed just seven earned runs in his previous seven outings. The Astros promptly roughed him up with seven runs on nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings.
Now he faces the Dodgers for the first time since Sept. 11. To be sure, Cain has not received a lot of help from his teammates against the Dodgers. In his last 10 starts against Los Angeles, the Giants have scored just nine runs.
Ely has been inconsistent this season, but allowed only one earned run in seven innings in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre sat four regulars against the Giants - most surprisingly Matt Kemp for a second straight day.
The center fielder is a career .457 hitter against Barry Zito, Monday’s starter, but Torre said he wanted to go with Sunday’s lineup, and that meant Reed Johnson started in center field.
Kemp is batting just .182 with 21 strikeouts in his last 14 games. Maybe you can blame his girlfriend, Rihanna, for the slump. Clearly the Dodgers have not been happy with the carefree Kemp, and Torre said he might sit again on Tuesday. Kemp is a .320 hitter (8-for-25) against Cain.
Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton also will sit again on Tuesday after throwing 48 pitches Sunday.