The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a great start to their 2012 season, winning five of their first six games. They have won the first two games of their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, following a simple formula. Get a quality start, then turn the game over to the back end of the bullpen of Kenley Jansen and Javy Guerra.
"Javy's been solid, he's been sharp, he's attacked the strike zone. We like this guy's stuff. He's tough to pick up, he's got a lot of weapons," Mattingly said of his closer, who is 4-for-4 in save opportunities so far this season. "It's like Javy and Kenley talked about this spring, they feel that when the game gets to them in the eighth or ninth inning, the game is over."
Guerra has retired 11 of the 13 batters he has faced so far, while Jansen has retired 12 of his last 13 batters faced, with seven strikeouts during that span.
The Dodgers go for the sweep of Pittsburgh tonight, with Chris Capuano on the mound. Capuano was cruising in his last start, allowing no runs through four innings before imploding in the fifth. Capuano walked three and was removed in what would become a five-run fifth inning for San Diego.
Jeff Karstens gets the start for Pittsburgh, who has lost 31 of their last 41 games at Dodger Stadium.
For more news and notes on Vin Scully and the Dodgers, be sure to read True Blue LA.