Los Angeles @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 2, Arizona 5
The Arizona Diamondbacks hope to extend the Los Angeles Dodgers' offensive struggles at least one more day so they can earn their first series victory against their National League West rivals in more than a year when their three-game series wraps up today at Chase Field.
Arizona's 5-2 win Saturday was only its third in 14 meetings with the Dodgers this season. Los Angeles has won six of eight at Chase Field and hasn't dropped a series to the Diamondbacks since Arizona took two of three at home from Aug. 14-16, 2009.
The Dodgers will need to solve their problems at the plate to keep that streak intact.
Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson kept the Dodgers' offense sputtering Saturday, limiting them to two runs on two hits over 8 2/3 innings. Los Angeles has scored three runs or fewer in nine of its past 11 games, averaging 2.5 runs and hitting .201 as a team during that stretch.
That's good news for Arizona starter Joe Saunders, who has a chance to win back-to-back starts for the first time since June 4 and June 9, when he did so for the Angels.
In his last start, Saunders (9-16, 4.56 ERA) had his best outing since Arizona acquired him in late July, holding Colorado to one run on six hits over eight innings while striking out seven. He is 3-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 11 starts with the Diamondbacks.
Saunders has never faced the Dodgers.
No one knows more of the Dodgers' recent offensive woes than today's starter, 26-year-old right-hander Chad Billingsley, who has lost his last three starts while getting a total of one run scored behind him.
Granted, Billingsley (11-11, 3.70 ERA) didn't pitch well in two of those outings, allowing four runs over 5 1/3 innings Sept. 8 at San Diego and giving up five runs in five innings at home against the Padres on Sept. 21, but the Dodgers didn't give him a chance, as he found himself on the wrong end of shutouts.
The Dodgers gave Billingsley one run in his other outing during that stretch, but he still suffered the loss despite holding the Giants to one run over seven innings.
In 19 career appearances against the Diamondbacks, Billingsley is 8-5 with a 3.70 ERA, including a 1-0 mark and a 4.68 ERA in four starts this year.
Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew has given Billingsley problems, hitting .391 (18-for-46) with a homer against him.
Kelly Johnson is hitting .410 (16-for-39) with five home runs and nine RBIs over his past 10 games.