Dodgers need to get offensive

For the second time in a week, the Dodgers find themselves in salvage mode with Kenta Maeda on the mound in a series finale against the Diamondbacks, this time at Dodger Stadium.

The starting pitching this time through against Arizona has been much better than last week, with Rich Hill and Hyun-jin Ryu striking out 17 in 12⅔ innings while allowing only three runs.

But the starting pitching for Arizona has been even better. In five games since last week, Diamondbacks starting pitchers have allowed seven total runs in 33⅓ innings (a 1.89 ERA), including one run allowed in 14 innings in the first two games in Los Angeles, with 20 strikeouts.

Dodgers confidence still high

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

At SBNation.com, I wrote about the Dodgers remaining confident despite dropping 10 of their last 11 games, and with good reason.

The Dodgers have scored one run in 19 innings in this series, and have scored two or fewer runs in nine of their last 17 games, averaging 2.88 runs during that span.

The offense will try to get back on the beam against Taijuan Walker, who has allowed all of one run in his last three starts, with 17 strikeouts in 16⅔ innings.

In September the Dodgers are 1-5, hitting .214/.262/.342 with 13 total runs in six games. Some of the notables this month:

• Curtis Granderson is 1-for-16 with a walk.
• Andre Ethier is 1-for-9 with a walk.
• Chase Utley is 1-for-8 with a walk.
• Logan Forsythe is 3-for-14 with a walk.
• Alex Verdugo is 2-for-11 with two walks.
• Yasmani Grandal is 1-for-12, with last night’s home run the only run this series.

With runners in scoring position in September, the Dodgers are hitting just .184/.273/.289 (7-for-38), though which is often the case when an offense is struggling, the far more troubling number is that the club has only 44 plate appearances with RISP. That’s just 7.33 PA per game, compared to the Dodgers’ 10.08 PA average on the season, third in the National League.

In this series against Arizona, the Dodgers are 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Game info

Time: 7:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network