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The Dodgers finish off their road trip on Sunday morning against the Nationals with some streaks in play, both good and bad.
Saturday night’s ninth-inning comeback stunner gave the Dodgers a three-game winning streak, the fourth time they have had a win streak at least that long this season. Their season best is four victories in a row, from Apr. 15-18.
Alex Wood starts the series finale for Los Angeles, entering Sunday third in the National League in FIP (2.54), fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.88), ninth in WHIP (1.059) and 18th in ERA (3.35). But despite pitching well Wood is 0-4 in his nine starts.
Starting lineups
Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Nationals |
---|---|---|---|
Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Nationals |
1B | Muncy (L) | SS | Turner |
CF | Bellinger (L) | RF | Harper (L) |
3B | Turner | 3B | Rendon |
C | Grandal (S) | 1B | Reynolds |
LF | Kemp | LF | Adams (L) |
RF | Puig | CF | Taylor |
2B | Forsythe | C | Severino |
SS | Hernandez | P | Strasburg |
P | Wood | 2B | Difo (S) |
The only Dodgers pitcher in the last 112 seasons to start the year with more starts without a win was Fernando Valenzuela, who began his 1989 season 0-5 with a 4.22 through his first 10 starts.
Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger both homered on Saturday and as you might have guessed both were solo shots. The Dodgers last hit a home run with somebody on base on May 1. Their last 16 homers have all been solo shots, five shy of the major league record set by the 2011 Giants.
The Dodgers have scored 56 runs on their 42 home runs in 2018, an average of 1.33 runs per home run. The major league average this season is 1.56 runs per homer.
Washington roster move
The Nationals on Sunday promoted one of their top prospects, calling up 19-year-old Juan Soto, who is now the youngest player in the majors. The outfielder started the season in A-ball but was quickly promoted to Double-A. He leads the minor leagues with 14 home runs, and in 39 games this season is hitting .362/.462/.757.
Right-handed pitcher Jefry Rodriguez was optioned to Double-A after he was recalled briefly for the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. He replaced old friend Howie Kendrick, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon late in the first game on Saturday. Kendrick will have surgery on Monday and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
The left-handed Soto is not starting in the series finale with the left-handed Wood starting for the Dodgers.
Game info
Time: 10:35 a.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network