Dodgers hope for better starts vs. Giants

The Dodgers try to build off their walk-off balk by welcoming the Giants to town for three games at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles is the place where the Dodgers have actually beaten the Giants this season, winning two of three games from April 27-29. In those two wins the Dodgers scored seven and eight runs, more than their total offensive outburst in six games in San Francisco this season, scoring six total runs in six losses.

Scoring has been a problem of late for the Dodgers, especially early.

The club has not scored before the sixth inning in any of their last five games, yet somehow have won two of those games.

Opposing starting pitchers have 24 quality starts against the Dodgers in their last 32 games, after just 13 quality starts in the first 35 games of the season.

The Dodgers scored early and often early in the year, tattooing starters to the tune of a 5.44 ERA, with opposing starters lasting just 5.39 innings on average and sporting a 5-16 record.

Since then, opposing starters are 13-8 with a 2.85 ERA, averaging 6.32 innings per start. The Dodgers are 15-17 during that span, averaging 3.16 runs per game.

Chris Heston starts for the Giants, making his first start against the Dodgers. He faced them in a pair of short relief appearances in 2014, and didn't allow a run in 1⅓ innings of mop-up duty in blowout Dodgers wins. Those were his first two major league appearances.

The Dodgers lineup on Friday night was shuffled slightly, with Yasiel Puig back at leadoff and Joc Pederson shifted to second. Not wanting back-to-back left-handers in the order, Adrian Gonzalez bats cleanup and Justin Turner moves up to third.

Game info

Time: 7:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNET LA