The Dodgers look for their fourth straight series win on Wednesday as they battle the Phillies in the final game of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Hiroki Kuroda gets the start for the Dodgers, looking to snap a personal three-game losing streak. Cole Hamels gets the start for Philadelphia.
Kuroda is 5-6 on the season with a 3.46 ERA in 12 starts. He has given up 13 runs (11 earned) in his last 17 innings over those last three starts. He allowed just two runs in six innings last Friday in Cincinnati, but also walked four, a rarity for Kuroda, who has walked just 2.1 batters per nine innings in his career.
Hamels is 7-2 with a 2.83 ERA this season, and has been great against the Dodgers in his career. Hamels is 2-0 with a 1.50 against Los Angeles in four career regular season starts, and was their personal tormentor in the 2008 NLCS. With the left-handed Hamels on the mound, look for Marcus Thames to get the start in left field for the second time in three games. Whether the right-handed Jerry Sands gets the start at first base over the left-handed James Loney remains to be seen.
The Dodgers are 7-4 in their last 11 games, and have won three straight series, beating the Marlins, Rockies, and Reds. The Dodgers have averaged five runs per game in their last 11 contests, compared to 3.43 runs per game this season prior to that. Matt Kemp is hitting .474/.583/1.158 (9-for-19) on the road trip, with four home runs and 10 RBI in five games.
Tonight's 4:05 p.m. PDT game will be televised by KCAL. For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.