Desert Rat
Veteran
The D-backs will continue their own seismic activity on the Golden State when they carry their momentum from a successful five-win start to this road trip up Interstate 5, exiting on Stadium Way and taking over Elysian Park in Chavez Ravine. In other words, the resplendent D-backs will visit the team still hot on their heels, the Dodgers, for a critical four game series. Both teams have winning records now, but Dodger Dogs are still the most overrated ballpark food. Unfortunately, the Dodgers won't get to face Haren 
. The rest of the pitching matchups...
Thursday - Webb vs. Lowe
July finishes as Webb comes off a win that kicked off this road trip. Back home last week, Webb held the Dodgers to one run in eight innings before Lyon's collapse cost Webb the win. Webb will need at least a repeat performance of his last game with LA, hopefully, he could go the full nine this time. Lowe has faced the D-backs twice this year, winning one of the games, in Los Angeles, but allowing five earned runs in just over 10 innings between both starts. He has won three of his last four starts.
Friday - R.Johnson vs. Kershaw
Rejuvenated Randy kicks off August carrying a scoreless inning streak of 15 and winning streak of four. The 44-year old lefthander has only nine strikeouts in his last three games. Johnson is a lifetime 7-6 against the Dodgers and has not faced them in 2008. The rookie southpaw Kershaw was born about six months before his opponent made his Major League debut. Kershaw has never pitched against Arizona. His last start was his first career victory, throttling the Nationals over six innings, which is the deepest that he has ever pitched in a Major League game.
Saturday - Petit vs. Kuroda
Petit takes over for the demoted Micah Owings. Petit defeated the Cubs is his last start, notching his only victory. Petit has pitched against the Dodgers three times in relief this season, allowing two earned runs in five innings while striking out five. Petit's ERA was just 1.59 in July, he hopes to continue that trend in August. Kuroda has been ice-cold since the All-Star Break, dropped his last two starts and registering an ERA of 9.81 in his last four. The last time Kuroda took the mound against the D-backs, he was knocked around for five runs in only two innings of work, but the Dodgers demoralized the D-backs for an 11-innings win at Chase Field. The D-backs have lit up Kuroda twice this year; in seven and 2/3 innings, Kuroday has allowed seven earned runs.
Sunday - Davis vs J.Johnson
Cancer survivor Doug Davis carried a perfect game through six innings of his last start, blanking the Padres through almost eight innings and throwing the most pitches he has thrown in a single game all season. He struggled in his last game against the Dodgers, lasting only three innings. Davis defeated the Dodgers earlier this season and has had success at Dodger Stadium, with a career 1.40 ERA there. The diabetic Jason Johnson made his season debut against the D-backs several weeks ago, allowing one run in three innings of relief. He spent the 2007 season with the Seibu Lions before signing on with the Dodgers organizaton this past spring. Johnson made his first start of the season last week, pitching six innings of shutout baseball. After three appearances, he carries an ERA of just 1.38.
This shapes up to be quite a series, call it the Big One. A pitching rematch Thursday, a generation gap difference Friday, a battle between pitchers whose seasons are going in opposite directions Saturday and a feel-good story of pitchers succeeding against diseases on Sunday. We'll see one of four things happen. The D-backs will...:
Hopefully the choice at the top will be what we see!
. The rest of the pitching matchups... Thursday - Webb vs. Lowe
July finishes as Webb comes off a win that kicked off this road trip. Back home last week, Webb held the Dodgers to one run in eight innings before Lyon's collapse cost Webb the win. Webb will need at least a repeat performance of his last game with LA, hopefully, he could go the full nine this time. Lowe has faced the D-backs twice this year, winning one of the games, in Los Angeles, but allowing five earned runs in just over 10 innings between both starts. He has won three of his last four starts.
Friday - R.Johnson vs. Kershaw
Rejuvenated Randy kicks off August carrying a scoreless inning streak of 15 and winning streak of four. The 44-year old lefthander has only nine strikeouts in his last three games. Johnson is a lifetime 7-6 against the Dodgers and has not faced them in 2008. The rookie southpaw Kershaw was born about six months before his opponent made his Major League debut. Kershaw has never pitched against Arizona. His last start was his first career victory, throttling the Nationals over six innings, which is the deepest that he has ever pitched in a Major League game.
Saturday - Petit vs. Kuroda
Petit takes over for the demoted Micah Owings. Petit defeated the Cubs is his last start, notching his only victory. Petit has pitched against the Dodgers three times in relief this season, allowing two earned runs in five innings while striking out five. Petit's ERA was just 1.59 in July, he hopes to continue that trend in August. Kuroda has been ice-cold since the All-Star Break, dropped his last two starts and registering an ERA of 9.81 in his last four. The last time Kuroda took the mound against the D-backs, he was knocked around for five runs in only two innings of work, but the Dodgers demoralized the D-backs for an 11-innings win at Chase Field. The D-backs have lit up Kuroda twice this year; in seven and 2/3 innings, Kuroday has allowed seven earned runs.
Sunday - Davis vs J.Johnson
Cancer survivor Doug Davis carried a perfect game through six innings of his last start, blanking the Padres through almost eight innings and throwing the most pitches he has thrown in a single game all season. He struggled in his last game against the Dodgers, lasting only three innings. Davis defeated the Dodgers earlier this season and has had success at Dodger Stadium, with a career 1.40 ERA there. The diabetic Jason Johnson made his season debut against the D-backs several weeks ago, allowing one run in three innings of relief. He spent the 2007 season with the Seibu Lions before signing on with the Dodgers organizaton this past spring. Johnson made his first start of the season last week, pitching six innings of shutout baseball. After three appearances, he carries an ERA of just 1.38.
This shapes up to be quite a series, call it the Big One. A pitching rematch Thursday, a generation gap difference Friday, a battle between pitchers whose seasons are going in opposite directions Saturday and a feel-good story of pitchers succeeding against diseases on Sunday. We'll see one of four things happen. The D-backs will...:
- sweep and leave crumbling California with a five-game lead
- take three games and a three-game lead
- split the series and come out with what they went in with, a one-game lead
- drop three of four and fall one game behind the Dodgers
- get swept, giving LA a three-game lead
Hopefully the choice at the top will be what we see!
