Dodgers vs. Red Sox: Hyun-jin Ryu seeks another LA quality start

The Dodgers go for their fifth straight victory on Saturday afternoon and will send Hyun-jin Ryu to the mound against the Red Sox looking to continue a great run by Los Angeles starting pitchers.

Zack Greinke allowed one run in eight innings on Wednesday and that turned out to be the worst of the Dodgers' last three starts. Both Clayton Kershaw and Ricky Nolasco pitched eight scoreless innings on Thursday and Friday, respectively, giving the Dodgers three straight starts of eight innings or more for the first time since Eric Gagne, Terry Adams and Chan Ho Park did so from July 16-18, 2001.

The last time the Dodgers had four straight starting pitchers last at least eight innings was Sept. 13-16, 1998, when Isamel Valdes, Carlos Perez, Chan Ho Park and Brian Bohanon turned the trick.

Dodgers starters in August are 16-2 with a 1.98 ERA with 15 quality starts in 22 games, and have averaged 6.41 innings per start, with 110 strikeouts and 29 walks in 141 innings.

Since June 22, the beginning of the team's 46-10 stretch, Dodgers starters are 33-8 with a 2.42 ERA and 36 quality starts in 56 games. The starting pitchers have allowed two or fewer runs in 38 of the last 56 contests, including seven times in 10 starts by Ryu during that span.

Ryu lost on Monday in Miami, his first loss since June 19, but still pitched into the eighth inning and allowed just three runs. It was one of 18 quality starts in 24 games for Ryu, tied for seventh most in the National League. Ryu has allowed eight total runs in his last five starts, with a 1.87 ERA to go with 30 strikeouts and just four walks in 33⅔ innings during that span.

At Dodger Stadium, Ryu has been stingy all season with a 1.78 ERA in 11 starts. He is 6-1 with 61 strikeouts and 19 walks in 75⅔ innings. All 11 of Ryu's home starts have been quality starts. Since 1916, the first available year Baseball-Reference.com has full play-by-play data, the only pitcher to start his Dodgers career with more quality starts at home was Burleigh Grimes, with 13 straight at Ebbets Field in 1918.

Opposing Ryu on the mound will be Jon Lester, who pitched scoreless ball into the ninth inning on Monday in San Francisco and has quality starts in three straight and sic of his last seven outings. The left-hander is 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA in those last seven starts, with 36 strikeouts and 11 walks in 45⅔ innings.

Notes

• With blankings in their last two games, the Dodgers lead MLB with 18 shutouts this season.
• Dodgers pitchers have combined for 26 consecutive scoreless innings, dating back to Wednesday, their second-longest streak of the season. Dodgers pitchers put together a string of 30 straight scoreless frames from Aug. 14-18, a run that ended less than a week ago.
• The Dodgers are 23-19 against left-handed starters this season.
• Not to be outdone, Dodgers' relievers during their 46-10 stretch have a 2.45 ERA, including just 1.75 since July 1 with 132 strikeouts in 128⅓ innings.
• American League pitchers are 0-for-14 with 12 strikeouts and two sacrifice hits in 16 plate appearances against the Dodgers this season.
• After going 19-6 in July, the third-best mark since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958, the Dodgers are 19-3 (.864) in August. The club record for most wins and best winning percentage in August was set in 1953, when Brooklyn went 25-6 (.806).
• The Dodgers have outscored opponents 102-48 in August.
• Kenny Albert and Tom Verducci will call the game for Fox on Saturday, which will be shown to the vast majority of the country.
  
• The Red Sox are 0-4 against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, with their only other interleague play appearance in Los Angeles coming in 2002. But the Red Sox have actually lost eight straight games and 16 of their last 17 at Chavez Ravine, dating back to 1964. The Angels played their home games at Dodger Stadium from 1962-1965. Boston is 12-28 all-time at Dodger Stadium.
  

Game info

Time: 1:05 p.m.

TV: Fox

MLB Gameday