After a pair of stinging one-run losses in San Fransisco to end their road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers return home Thursday night to face the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in the opener of a four-game series. The Dodgers have an eight-game homestand, facing both the Cardinals and Braves. Hiroki Kuroda gets the start in the opening game for the Dodgers, while Jaime Garcia toes the rubber for St. Louis.
Kuroda has won both of his starts this season, including 8 2/3 scoreless innings last Saturday night in Petco Park against the Padres. It was the longest outing by a Dodger starting pitcher this season, and Kuroda is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA this year. Kuroda has allowed just three runs in three career starts against the Cardinals, for a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings, yet Kuroda is 0-1 against St. Louis.
St. Louis started out their season 2-6, but have won three of their last four contests. Los Angeles is the final leg of a 10-game road trip for the Cardinals. The Dodgers lost four of seven games to the Cardinals in 2010, with home teams winning all seven games.
The Cardinals this week placed pitchers Brian Tallet and Bryan Augenstein on the disabled list, and recalled pitchers Fernando Salas and Eduardo Sanchez from Triple A Memphis. The loss of Tallet leaves Trever Miller as the only left-handed pitcher in the Cardinals' bullpen. Tonight's 7:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised on Prime Ticket.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.