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The good news for the Dodgers after stumbling on their current homestand — 3-3 through the first six games — is that they hit the road for a 10-game road trip starting Monday, and the Dodgers own the second-best road record in baseball, at 40-31. But with four home games remaining the Dodgers also have a chance to reach a milestone at Dodger Stadium as well.
The Dodgers are 46-31 at home this season, ninth best home mark in baseball. If they can win their final four games at Dodger Stadium this year — Sunday against the Giants, then Sept. 26-28 against the Rockies to close out the regular season — the team will finish with 50 home wins for the 13th time in 56 years since moving to Los Angeles.
The 1980 squad holds the L.A. franchise record with 55 home victories in a season, including three over the season's final weekend against the Astros to force a one-game playoff against Houston for the division. But that game, also at Dodger Stadium, featured a 27th home loss that season which ended the Dodgers' campaign.
As in many cases, the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers hold the all-time franchise mark for home wins, as the Boys of Summer went a remarkable 60-17 at home en route to 105 wins and a National League pennant.
But to win their final four home games the Dodgers first have to beat the Giants on Sunday, and will try to do so with Edinson Volquez on the mound.
Volquez looked much better in his one home start with the Dodgers — three runs and four hits allowed in six innings on Tuesday against Arizona — than he did in his one road start in Coors Field, with four runs and six hits allowed in just four innings.
He is 2-2 with a 6.07 ERA in nine career starts against the Giants, including 0-1 with 13 runs allowed in 16 innings over three starts in 2013.
Ryan Vogelsong was 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA in his first four starts off the disabled list in August, but he has allowed 12 runs in 15⅔ innings over his last three starts, all Giants losses. In those last three starts Vogelsong has just four total strikeouts, and seven walks.
Hunter Pence has homered in the first three games of the series, matching Paul Goldschmidt as the only players to hit home runs in three straight games at Dodger Stadium this season. The last player to hit a home run in four straight games at Chavez Ravine was Matt Kemp, who homered in four straight games in August 2011. The Dodger Stadium record is five straight games with a home run, by Gary Sheffield in 1999-2000.
Pence is 5-for-31 (.161) with one home run in 36 plate appearances against Volquez.
Game info
Time: 1:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket