Dodgers need offense to keep producing

LOS ANGELES -- While the bullpen has felt the thrust of the disdain while the Dodgers lost four of their last five games, the offense putting together a complete game would be a welcome sight for the club and go a long way in turning things around.

It's hard to be totally down on the offense; after all, in two of the losses the Dodgers scored six runs, a threshold when reached in 2015 saw the Dodgers go 43-5 (.896). But the failure to tack on runs of late has definitely hurt the cause.

The Dodgers held a 4-0 lead early on Thursday in San Francisco in a loss, then lead 5-0 after the top of the first on Sunday but only scored once more in another defeat.

On Tuesday they scored once in the second inning and unsurprisingly that didn't hold up. By the time the Dodgers tacked on a second run in the ninth inning, the Diamondbacks already had four runs themselves.

The Dodgers have scored just three runs after the fifth inning in their last five games.

They have scored 30 runs in 45⅓ innings against opposing starters this season, but just 14 runs in 28⅔ innings against relievers.

Enter old friend Rubby De La Rosa, against whom the Dodgers teed off in 2015. No major league batter has as many plate appearances against. De La Rosa than Howie Kendrick, and he has had great success against the right-hander, going 10-for-18 (.556) with a home run and a double, though the home run came in 2011.

Game info

Time: 7:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA