The Dodgers hit all of .180/.228/.238 last week, but their 13 runs scored in the first six games of this nine-game road trip would qualify as an abundance of runs for Nathan Eovaldi, who starts the series opener Monday night against the Giants.
The Dodgers have scored five runs in Eovaldi's five starts, including just three games with Eovaldi in the game. The Dodgers have lost all five games.
Nathan Eovaldi 2012 Game Log | |||||||||
Date | Opponent | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | When Eovaldi Left | End Result |
May 29 | Milwaukee | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | down 2-1 | 2-1 loss |
June 3 | at Colorado | 5.2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | down 3-0 | 3-2 loss |
June 8 | at Seattle | 6.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | tied 0-0 | 1-0 loss |
June 13 | Angels | 6.0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | tied 1-1 | 2-1 loss |
June 20 | at Oakland | 6.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | down 3-1 | 4-1 loss |
Totals | 30.2 | 28 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 0-3, 2.35 ERA |
The Dodgers offense is happy to see interleague play end, as they hit all of four home runs in 15 games against the American League. The Dodgers were one of three teams to hit fewer than 10 home runs during interleague play, along with the Giants (five home runs) and the San Diego Padres (three home runs).
Barry Zito gets the start for the Giants on Monday, his first start against the Dodgers in San Francisco since September 14, 2010, when he lost 1-0 to the Dodgers behind Clayton Kershaw's first major league shutout.
Since the beginning of the 2010 season Zito has made eight starts and one relief appearance against the Dodgers, and the Dodgers have won eight of those nine games, thanks to the Giants scoring just 15 total runs, including two runs or less in eight of the nine contests.
Series Pitching Matchups | ||
Mon | Eovaldi vs. Zito (L) | |
Tue | Kershaw vs. Vogelsong (R) | |
Wed | Billingsley vs. Lincecum (R) |
Run support hasn't mattered much to Zito of late, as in his last three starts he has allowed 17 runs in 14 1/3 innings. During than span he struck out only six batters, and allowed five home runs and eight walks.
Zito won't have to face Matt Kemp, who has hit .449/.526/.633 (22-for-49 with two home runs and eight walks) against him in his career, but perhaps Jerry Hairston Jr. (8-for-22, six walks, .364/.517/.636) can pick up the slack. Zito in his career has owned lefties James Loney (2-for-28), Andre Ethier (6-for-33, but with seven walks), and Adam Kennedy (4-for-25, three walks), as well as Juan Uribe (2-for-21, two walks).
No matter what happens this week in San Francisco, it's nearly impossible for the Dodgers to do worse than their trip to the bay area last week. At the very least, the atmosphere should be more exciting. Just ask Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.
"I do like that atmosphere, a lot better than Oakland," Mattingly said of AT&T Park. "Oakland is dead. That place has got some juice."
Game Time: 7:15 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket