Dodgers look to return to winning ways behind Alex Wood and against an old friend

For only the fourth time since July 4, 36 calendar days ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers try to rebound from a loss and start a new winning streak. On Wednesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they will send Alex Wood to the mound attempting to achieve that goal.

Wood has been excellent on the road this season, posting a 1.55 ERA in 46⅓ innings, with 44 strikeouts and 14 walks. Of course with the excellent season the left-hander is enjoying, almost any breakout is going to look good.

In his one 2017 start in Arizona he lasted only 4 ²⁄₃ innings, yielding four runs and seven hits. But that was way back on April 21. Since then the southpaw has averaged better than six innings an outing over his 15 starts, posting a 2.18 and holding hitters to a paltry .204/.263/.284 batting line.

Wood’s last start was a win in Atlanta, and that was the game following the Dodgers last loss previous to yesterday. But despite allowing only one run in six innings, he struck out a season-low two batters and recorded slightly diminished velocity.

The Diamondbacks counter with old friend Zack Greinke. He has returned to form in his second year with Arizona, striking out just under ten batters per nine innings while walking only 1.7, helping to keep his WHIP flirting with 1.0. Greinke was roughed up in his previous start where the Cubs scored six runs on nine hits in six innings, despite striking out eight times.

The five active Dodgers that have faced Greinke more than ten times each - Chase Utley, Yasmani Grandal, Justin Turner, Corey Seager and Joc Pederson - have combined to hit .342/.400/.740 against him with 16 extra-base hits in 80 plate appearances.

The Dodgers will try to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since dropping two at home to Atlanta on July 20 and 21.

Game info

Time: 6:40 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA