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LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers conclude their series against the Giants on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium with their second exclusive national telecast on ESPN in four days.
So far the Dodgers are just hitting .131/.202/.167 as a team yet have outscored the Giants 5-2 so far in the series, winning just one of the three games. The Dodgers’ 11 hits are tied for their fewest through the first three games of the season in the last 111 years.
The 1970 Dodgers were the other team in franchise history with just 11 hits through three games. That team went five games into the season without a home run. The last Dodgers team to go four games without a home run to open a year was in 1991.
Starting lineups
| Pos | Giants | Pos | Dodgers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Giants | Pos | Dodgers |
| CF | Jackson | CF | Taylor |
| 2B | Panik (L) | SS | Seager (L) |
| RF | McCutchen | RF | Puig |
| C | Posey | C | Grandal (S) |
| 3B | Longoria | 1B | Bellinger (L) |
| LF | Pence | 2B | Hernandez |
| 1B | Belt (L) | LF | Pederson (L) |
| SS | Crawford (L) | 3B | Farmer |
| P | Stratton | P | Hill (L) |
The 2018 Dodgers have gone three games without a home run, matching their longest streak for all of 2017. They did that twice last year, from May 30 to June 1 and again from June 4-6.
The 11 hits for the Dodgers have been spread to only six players. Five are tied for the team lead with two hits — Yasmani Grandal, Matt Kemp, Chris Taylor, Chase Utley and pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Both of Utley’s hits have been as a pinch hitter.
Joc Pederson will get the start in left field on Sunday, which will give all 12 position players on the active roster at least one start through the season’s first four games. He has two walks in three plate appearances against Giants starter Chris Stratton.
Kyle Farmer gets his second straight start at third base, with Logan Forsythe a day off.
“The player development staff talked about his defense at third base being very good, and the last couple years I have seen the same thing,” manager Dave Roberts said of Farmer. “We trust him over there, and to get his bat in the lineup, it’s a great opportunity.”
Rich Hill is on the mound to start on Sunday, looking to build on the Dodgers’ 0.67 staff ERA. Since joining LA Hill has allowed six runs in six starts against the Giants, posting a 1.65 ERA with 32 strikeouts and five walks in 32⅔ innings.
A win Sunday would give the Dodgers a split, and would also keep a Giants streak alive. They haven’t won a road series since sweeping the Pirates in Pittsburgh last June 30-July 2. San Francisco is 0-11-1 in their last 12 road series. They only won three road series all of 2017, including one at Dodger Stadium from May 1-3.
Game info
Time: 5:37 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Watch ESPN