Los Angeles @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2013 ) Philadelphia 1, LA Dodgers 6
Two teams headed in completely opposite directions collide Friday, when the struggling Philadelphia Phillies host the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of their three-game series. National League West-leading Los Angeles enters with an eight-game winning streak after completing back-to-back three-game home sweeps against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets. The Dodgers trailed in all three contests versus the Mets but rallied to win them all and are 40-8 since June 22.
Pinch-hitter Andre Ethier hit a one-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to tie Wednesday's game and Adrian Gonzalez delivered an RBI double in the 12th as Los Angeles raised its record to 23-2 since the All-Star break. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has gone 5-19 in the second half to fall into fourth place in the NL East, 20 1/2 games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves. The Phillies, who are beginning a 10-game homestand, have not won consecutive contests since bridging three victories over the break in mid-July.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), PHL 17 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.21 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (10-5, 3.18)
Greinke continued his torrid stretch Saturday, scattering six hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings against Tampa Bay en route to his seventh win in eight decisions. The 29-year-old former Cy Young Award winner has yielded fewer than three runs seven times over his last 10 starts, keeping the opposition scoreless on three occasions. Greinke improved to 2-1 lifetime against the Phillies on June 27 despite surrendering four runs and 12 hits in seven frames.
Lee looks to halt his four-start winless streak, during which he has gone 0-3 with a 5.63 ERA. Also a former Cy Young Award recipient, the 34-year-old settled for a no-decision at Washington on Saturday after yielding three runs in six innings. Lee is 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA in six career outings against the Dodgers, including a no-decision at Los Angeles on June 29 in which he gave up three runs while striking out 10 over seven frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers own a 7 1/2-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
2. Ethier has been kept out of the starting lineup for the last two games with a bruised left calf.
3. Philadelphia has lost 13 of its last 14 road games.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Phillies 2