After winning just four of 15 games in interleague play this season, the Dodgers are happy to get back to the more familiar part of their schedule. However, things don't get any easier as they face the second-place Giants. The Dodgers are 11-13 this month, meaning they would need a sweep in San Francisco to have a winning June, something they had only once in the last six seasons.
Here is a look at the current records of the Dodgers' opponents in June, easily their toughest month on the schedule:
Dodgers June Opponents | ||
Opponent | Record | Games |
Yankees | 47-28 | 3 |
Red Sox | 46-31 | 3 |
Braves | 44-32 | 4 |
Reds | 42-34 | 3 |
Angels | 43-35 | 6 |
Cardinals |
41-34 | 3 |
Giants | 40-34 | 3 |
D-Backs | 30-46 | 2 |
Chad Billingsley returns from the disabled list tonight, making his first start since June 11. He has made five previous career starts in San Francisco:
Chad Billingsley Career Starts in SF | |||||||
Date | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | Game |
9/13/09 | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | LA 9-1 |
4/28/09 | 6.0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | SF 5-4 |
8/10/08 | 6.0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | SF 5-4 |
4/28/09 | 7.1 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | LA 5-3 |
9/13/09 | 4.0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | SF 7-2 |
Totals | 29.1 | 34 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 27 | 2.76 ERA |
Barry Zito starts for the Giants, so a night off for James Loney is not a surprise. Loney has one hit in 20 career at-bats against Zito, with six strikeouts. This is the fifth straight game started by Zito against the Dodgers that Loney did not start. The Dodgers are 9-12 in games started by left-handed pitchers this season.
Lineups
Matt Kemp gets a day off for the second straight day
Dodgers | Giants | |||
SS | Furcal |
CF | Torres | |
CF | Johnson |
2B | Sanchez |
|
RF | Ethier | RF | Huff | |
LF | Manny | 3B | Uribe | |
1B | Belliard |
LF | Burrell | |
3B | Blake |
1B | Sandoval | |
C | Ellis |
SS | Renteria | |
2B | Carroll | C | Molina |
|
P | Billingsley |
P | Zito |
**********
If last night has taught me anything, it is that someone shouldn't be judged after a low point. To get a full measure of someone's value, their complete body of work should be judged, their entire catalog, if you will. With that in mind, we should all remember bearface for his long history of commenting here and on various other Dodger sites, and not the absolute garbage he wrote this morning. Everyone is entitled to a bad day.
**********
Tomorrow is the launch day for SB Nation Los Angeles, so be sure to update your bookmarks. You can follow on Twitter at @sbnationla.
Get your guesses in for Xeifrank's game simulation here.
Game Time: 7:15pm
TV: KCAL