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The Dodgers on Friday night look to do something they haven't done all season: win a game at Dodger Stadium started by Nathan Eovaldi. Now with the Marlins, Eovaldi starts the opener of a weekend series against the red-hot Chad Billingsley.
Eovaldi wasn't terrible in his four home starts with the Dodgers before getting traded for Hanley Ramirez, as he had a 4.24 ERA in 23 1/3 innings, but the Dodgers scored just four total runs in those four games.
Since joining the Marlins Eovaldi hasn't been very good so far. He struck out five in 5 1/3 innings in a win in his Marlins debut on July 28, but he has just eight total strikeouts in four August starts. Eovaldi has had more walks than strikeouts in each of his last three outings, and in five starts with the Marlins has 16 walks and 13 strikeouts to go with 31 hits allowed in 24 innings. But none of those hits have left the park, and Eovaldi has Fifed his way to a 3.75 ERA.
Shane Victorino is 2-for-3 with a triple against Eovaldi, facing him on July 16 at Dodger Stadium.
Billingsley has won six straight starts, putting up a 1.30 ERA since coming off the disabled list with just eight walks and 27 strikeouts. With a win Friday night he would become the first Dodger to win seven consecutive starts since Kevin Brown from May 14 to June 17, 2003.
It's not the longest streak of decisions in Billingsley's career, as he has had two separate streaks of nine straight wins without a loss. He was 2-0 in the final three appearances of his rookie season in 2006 and followed that up with four wins in relief to begin 2007, then three more wins without a loss in seven starts after rejoining the rotation. That 9-0 streak lasted 10 months and took 33 games, including eight starts.
Billingsley had a more conventional 9-0 streak from the end of 2008 into his first six starts of 2009, putting up a 2.60 ERA in 12 games, including 11 starts and a two-inning relief appearance at the end of the 2008 regular season.
During this streak, Billingsley has pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings heading into his Friday night start. He hasn't allowed a run in each of his last two starts. Billingsley had a stretch of three starts without giving up a run from July 21-31, 2010. That was part of a career-high 24 2/3 straight scoreless innings for Billingsley.
Only two current Marlins have faced Billingsley in double-digit plate appearances. Carlos Lee is hitting .292 (7-for-24) with a home run against Billingsley with the home run coming earlier this season, on April 22 in Houston. Jose Reyes is 1-for-9 (.111) with two walks against Billingsley.
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket