After the Angels captured the opener of the Freeway Series from the Dodgers on Friday night, both teams will send to the mound on Saturday afternoon a pitcher who threw seven scoreless innings last Sunday. Hiroki Kuroda gets the start for the Dodgers, while rookie Tyler Chatwood gets the call for the Angels. The Dodgers have lost five straight to the Angels at Dodger Stadium, dating back to 2009.
Chatwood is 4-4 with a 3.84 ERA this season in 14 starts. The 21-year old has especially excelled against the National League, allowing a total of one run in 14 innings this season in two starts, against the Braves and Mets. Chatwood has just one more strikeout (43) than walk (42) this season, but has minimized the damage somewhat by keeping the ball down. He has allowed just six home runs in 82 innings this season, including only one in 33 2/3 innings (six starts) on the road.
Kuroda is still looking for his first win since May 7, though he has pitched well of late. In four June starts, Kuroda has a 1.82 ERA, along with seven unintentional walks and 22 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings, but he is 0-3. The Dodgers have scored a total of seven runs in Kuroda's last five starts, and they have scored more than three runs only once in his last 10 outings.
Today's 1:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Fox. For more news and information on the Angels, the Dodgers, or the Freeway Series, be sure to read the SB Nation blogs True Blue LA and Halos Heaven.