Rich Hill and Dodgers try to win another against a left-handed starter

LOS ANGELES —-- The Dodgers are just rolling along, winners of six straight and today they will try to win their first series in 2017 against the San Francisco Giants. The second pair of left-handers will face off in this middle game of the three-game set, Rich Hill against Ty Blach.

Hill has pitched very well this month, in his four starts in July, Hill has pitched 25⅓ innings and allowed four runs, 17 hits and three walks. Hill has struck out 37 this month.

Hill has had one prior start against the Giants this season, he had a no-decision when he pitched five innings and gave up a run and six hits while striking out six

Hill will try and help the Dodgers improve on their 23-10 record against left-handed starters. Overall, the Dodgers now have hit 52 home runs against left-handed pitching which is ten more home runs than any other team.

But it won’t come easy as they face a pitcher who has given them fits in his small sample size of games against the Dodgers.

Left-handed pitcher Ty Blach has pitched 27 games and 18 starts since he made his major league debut last September. Within those games, Blach has pitched four times against the Dodgers, the last three times as a starter and he has been very good against them.

Last year, after pitching three scoreless innings against the Dodgers in relief, Blach pitched one of the best games of the season against the Dodgers, pitching 8 scoreless innings against the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw and winning 3-0 on the second to last day of the regular season. Blach’s game score of 81 was one of nine times that the Dodgers had an opposing starting pitcher reach 80 or higher against them in 2016.

This season, Blach has made two starts against the Dodgers, he is 1-1, pitching 12 total innings and giving up three runs, nine hits and three walks. Blach has struck out six in those two starts.

Today’s game is also being aired on FS1 as well as SNLA in Los Angeles. With the Dodgers being on Fox and ESPN this weekend, expect non-stop coverage of the upcoming trade deadline on those outlets.

Game info

Time: 1:05 p.m. PT

TV: FS1, SportsNet LA