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The Dodgers go for their third win on as many getaway days in the series finale against the Cubs on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field in Chicago, a game featuring a pair of southpaws back after missing nearly all of last season.
Hyun-jin Ryu starts for the Dodgers, looking to last longer than the 4⅔ innings he pitched last Friday at Coors Field. He has a tall task ahead, as the Cubs have punished left-handed pitchers in the early going, hitting .373/.479/.542 in all of 71 plate appearances.
Brett Anderson gets the call for the Cubs, coming off a season that saw him pitch 11⅓ innings for the Dodgers, 6⅔ more than Ryu.
Anderson and Ryu combined for 16 major league innings in 2016, and with 10⅓ combined innings this season the duo will likely pass last year’s total on Thursday.
Anderson, who missed four months after back surgery then battled a left wrist sprain and a blister after that, allowed just one run in 5⅔ in his first start of 2017, striking out four in a no-decision against the Brewers.
Bad ending but still better than any of my outings last year...so I'll take it.
— Brett Anderson (@BAnderson3737) April 8, 2017
The Dodgers so far this season are hitting .217/.289/.333 against southpaws, not seeing the results they had hoped for so far, though through just 144 plate appearances.
They will certainly get more opportunities to try to improve those numbers, with left-handed starters set to face them in three of their next five games — after Anderson, the Dodgers are scheduled to face Diamondbacks left-handers Patrick Corbin and Robbie Ray in the four-game weekend wraparound series at Dodger Stadium.
Streaky start
Logan Forsythe walked twice on Wednesday, and has reached base at least twice in each of his last three games. After starting the season 3-for-5 with a walk and two hit by pitches, Forsythe went in an 0-for-14 slump.
Forsythe snapped that skid on Sunday, and in his last three games is 5-for-12 with a double and three walks. He has batted first, third, and fifth this season.
What a relief
The Dodgers bullpen has a 1.48 ERA through the first nine games of the season, with 36 strikeouts and five walks in 30⅓ innings.
Game info
Time: 11:20 a.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network