Dodgers turn to Julio Urias to stop the bleeding

The Dodgers try to snap their three-game losing streak on Sunday morning against the Reds at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

They have allowed a whopping 20 runs in the first two games of the series, including at least nine runs in consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 16-17, 2014 at Coors Field.

The last time the Dodgers allowed nine or more runs in three straight games was April 14-16, 2011.

Something that Julio Urias and the rest of the pitching staff will try to avoid on Sunday.

There is a streak that Urias would do well to continue on Sunday. He won his last start, on Aug. 8, then won in relief on Aug. 13, his only appearance since.

Since 1913, only three times has a Dodgers pitcher age 20 or younger got the win in at least three straight appearances — Van Lingle Mungo (5 straight starts, May 16-30, 1932), Doyle Alexander (3 straight, July 27-Aug. 11, 1971) and Fernando Valenzuela (8 straight, Apr. 9-May 14, 1981).

Those eight Valenzuela starts, as it should always be pointed out, were his first eight major league starts.

On offense, the Dodgers will try to score their first run against a Reds starting pitcher in this series, after Tim Adleman (five innings) and Brandon Finnegan (seven innings) have stymied them for 12 innings.

Anthony DeSclafani gets the call, bringing a 3.10 ERA into Sunday’s contest, with 69 strikeouts and 18 walks in 78⅓ innings this season. The right-hander missed over two months at the start of the season with an oblique injury, but since rejoining the Reds has 10 quality starts in 13 starts, a percentage (76.9%) that is tied for fourth among National League pitchers with at least 10 starts in 2016.

Game info

Time: 10:10 a.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA