Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies MLB Live Streaming Online Baseball Radio Commentary Internet Video Feed Espn 360 Gamecast Experts Review Broadcast 5/8. Philadelphia's Cole Hamels has regularly shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In this matchup between pitchers facing two of their favorite opponents, Hamels and Kuroda hope to continue to make things miserable for the opposing hitters in Wednesday night's series finale in Philadelphia.
Hamels (7-2, 2.83 ERA) has made four regular-season starts versus the Dodgers (29-33), going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA -- his second-lowest against any opponent. The left-hander threw a five-hit shutout in the most recent one June 4, 2009.
He's also gone 3-0 in four NL championship series starts against them.
Kuroda (5-6, 3.46) has split two starts versus the Phillies (36-25) in the playoffs but has dominated them in four regular-season starts, allowing no more than two hits in each.
The Japanese right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in those four games, yielding seven hits while striking out 24 in 26 2/3 innings. In his only start against Philadelphia last season, Kuroda conceded one hit and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-0 victory Aug. 30.
Kuroda takes the ball in the finale hoping to avoid losing four consecutive starts for the first time.
Despite being in the midst of a three-game skid for the third time in his career, Kuroda wasn't awful Friday in Cincinnati, allowing two runs, six hits and four walks in six innings of a 2-1 defeat. The right-hander had posted a 7.36 ERA in his previous two outings.
Hamels has been significantly better than that recently, going 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA in his last four starts. In Pittsburgh on Friday, he allowed one run and one hit while walking three and departed after eight innings, but the Phillies lost 2-1 in 12 innings.
Philadelphia has had several low-scoring games like that lately.
The NL East-leading Phillies have lost five of seven, plating nine total runs in those defeats. In Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Dodgers, Philadelphia went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
"We didn't deserve to win the game," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We've got to play better."
Hitting homers would probably help.
Philadelphia is a major league-best 25-6 when hitting at least one home run but has gone a season-high six straight games without one.
Ryan Howard, the team leader with 12 homers, is batting .150 with five RBIs and seven strikeouts in his last five games. The slugger is hitless in 11 regular-season at-bats against Kuroda, who has surrendered four home runs in 51 innings over his last eight starts, but 3 for 4 in the playoffs.
The Dodgers won for the sixth time in nine games Tuesday behind another strong performance from Matt Kemp. The center fielder doubled and hit a two-run homer, and he's batting .407 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in his last seven games.
Shortstop Dee Gordon made his first major league start Tuesday, and it was memorable. Gordon, the son of former major league pitcher Tom Gordon, singled in each of his first three at-bats, and also scored a run and stole a base.
"It was nice for him to get out of the gate with a couple hits," manager Don Mattingly said. "He's going to be exciting. He's a guy that's fun to watch."
7:05 PM ET, June 8, 2011
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Injury ReportThe Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda has done the same to the Phillies.
Los Angeles
* Rafael Furcal SS - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Jonathan Broxton RP - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Kenley Jansen RP - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Hong-Chih Kuo RP - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Vicente Padilla RP - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Marcus Thames LF - Jun 6: 15-Day DL
* Blake Hawksworth RP - Jun 6: 15-Day DL
* Juan Uribe 3B - Jun 6: 15-Day DL
Philadelphia
* Joe Blanton SP - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Brian Schneider C - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Brad Lidge RP - Jun 8: 60-Day DL
* Jimmy Rollins SS - Jun 8: Day-To-Day
* Ross Gload 1B - Jun 4: Day-to-Day
In this matchup between pitchers facing two of their favorite opponents, Hamels and Kuroda hope to continue to make things miserable for the opposing hitters in Wednesday night's series finale in Philadelphia.
Hamels (7-2, 2.83 ERA) has made four regular-season starts versus the Dodgers (29-33), going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA -- his second-lowest against any opponent. The left-hander threw a five-hit shutout in the most recent one June 4, 2009.
He's also gone 3-0 in four NL championship series starts against them.
Kuroda (5-6, 3.46) has split two starts versus the Phillies (36-25) in the playoffs but has dominated them in four regular-season starts, allowing no more than two hits in each.
The Japanese right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in those four games, yielding seven hits while striking out 24 in 26 2/3 innings. In his only start against Philadelphia last season, Kuroda conceded one hit and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-0 victory Aug. 30.
Kuroda takes the ball in the finale hoping to avoid losing four consecutive starts for the first time.
Despite being in the midst of a three-game skid for the third time in his career, Kuroda wasn't awful Friday in Cincinnati, allowing two runs, six hits and four walks in six innings of a 2-1 defeat. The right-hander had posted a 7.36 ERA in his previous two outings.
Hamels has been significantly better than that recently, going 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA in his last four starts. In Pittsburgh on Friday, he allowed one run and one hit while walking three and departed after eight innings, but the Phillies lost 2-1 in 12 innings.
Philadelphia has had several low-scoring games like that lately.
The NL East-leading Phillies have lost five of seven, plating nine total runs in those defeats. In Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Dodgers, Philadelphia went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
"We didn't deserve to win the game," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We've got to play better."
Hitting homers would probably help.
Philadelphia is a major league-best 25-6 when hitting at least one home run but has gone a season-high six straight games without one.
Ryan Howard, the team leader with 12 homers, is batting .150 with five RBIs and seven strikeouts in his last five games. The slugger is hitless in 11 regular-season at-bats against Kuroda, who has surrendered four home runs in 51 innings over his last eight starts, but 3 for 4 in the playoffs.
The Dodgers won for the sixth time in nine games Tuesday behind another strong performance from Matt Kemp. The center fielder doubled and hit a two-run homer, and he's batting .407 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in his last seven games.
Shortstop Dee Gordon made his first major league start Tuesday, and it was memorable. Gordon, the son of former major league pitcher Tom Gordon, singled in each of his first three at-bats, and also scored a run and stole a base.
"It was nice for him to get out of the gate with a couple hits," manager Don Mattingly said. "He's going to be exciting. He's a guy that's fun to watch."
