As the Dodgers look for their third win in a row for just the second time all season, Stephen Fife takes the mound against the Braves looking for some consistency. Saturday, knock on wood, will mark the first time Fife has been healthy for consecutive starts since April.
The Braves will be the eighth different team faced by Fife in is eight major league starts. In six of his first seven starts Fife has allowed two runs or less, including on Monday, when Fife picked up his first major league win in a victory over the Padres.
Fife will not have Hanley Ramirez at shortstop behind him on Saturday night, as Ramirez is out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive game. The tightness is the right hamstring for Ramirez has lessened, but the Dodgers are being extra cautious.
"Hanley feels a lot better today. If everything goes good all day long and he doesn't have any issues, he'll go tomorrow," manager Don Mattingly said. "We're trying to be cautious with Hanley. We don't want him to land back on that disabled list."
Ramirez has been used as a pinch hitter in each of the last two games.
Mark Ellis, dealing with a groin injury of his own, is out of the starting lineup for the fifth time in the last seven games. The infrequent playing time has contributed to Ellis in an 0-for-15 slump, without a base hit since May 31.
"We're trying to get him over the hump. He came back from the quad, but now is dealing with the groin. It's been frustrating because we've been able to keep him on the field, but it's hard to get your timing playing like that."
Ellis and Ramirez have started one game together this season.
Game info
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket