It’s the continuation of a series on the diamond between a pair of NL West rivals down in southern California. The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the road as they play the middle game of a three-game weekend set with the San Diego Padres Saturday night. Los Angeles won the rubber game of their three-game home set with the Giants, prevailing 7-3 Wednesday afternoon in the finale of that series. San Diego won the rubber game of their three-game set with the Diamondbacks at home, taking a 6-3 win on Wednesday night. This article was published prior to the conclusion of the opening game of the series Friday night at Petco Park.
Los Angeles won their second straight and their fourth in the last five games as they dumped the Giants in the finale of their three-game series Wednesday afternoon. The Dodgers are on cruise control down the stretch as they entered Friday with a 19-game lead on the Padres in the NL West, leaving them with a magic number to clinch the division at seven. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is three. On Wednesday, Los Angeles got three hits from Max Muncy (two runs, three RBI) while Austin Barnes (run) and Justin Turner (run, three RBI) each added a pair. Turner (his 11th) and Muncy (his 19th) each went deep in the victory. Clayton Kershaw didn’t factor in the decision as he threw six innings, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. Evan Phillips (6-3) earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings as he allowed one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Julio Urias gets the call for the Dodgers as he logs his 27th start of the season in this contest. He comes in 15-7 with a 2.29 ERA, a 0.947 WHIP, 34 walks and 139 strikeouts over 145.2 innings of work on the season. Urias earned the win in his last start, Urias earned the win over the Padres at home last Saturday. He threw six innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts in a 12-1 Dodgers victory. In his last three starts, Urias is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA, a 0.72 WHIP, eight walks and 16 strikeouts over 18 innings of work. Urias makes his 14th career appearance and ninth start against the Padres in this contest. He comes in 5-1 with a 2.40 ERA, a 0.945 WHIP, 18 walks and 49 strikeouts over 48.2 innings of work against them. Urias is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.179 WHIP, 12 walks and 22 strikeouts over 18.2 innings of action in six career appearances, four starts, at Petco Park.