Dodgers Beat the Streak: Rivalry home runs aplenty
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Dodgers host the rivaled San Francisco Giants for the first time since the four-game series that accompanied Opening Day.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have not hosted the San Francisco Giants since Opening Day and have not played the Giants since getting red-hot.
This series is going to be a huge series for both teams. Two games separate the Giants from second place and the Dodgers. The Dodgers trail the Arizona Diamondbacks by two and a half games for first place in the NL West.
The newly red-hot Dodgers are looking to build off a three-game winning streak that included sweeping the Texas Rangers in a two-game set. Typically, no matter how talented the Giants are, they always give the Dodgers a hard time. While it is unlikely, getting swept by San Francisco could take all of the air out of the Dodgers’ hot run.
However, sweeping the division foes would be the perfect catalyst to continue this hot streak to eventually run away with the NL West. It really could go either way and the Dodgers should be looking to take away at least a series win.
As for our Dodgers Beat the Streak series, the hot offense is allowing us to gain steam.
On Wednesday, I went with Matt Kemp, who was ejected after a collision and scuffle at the plate with Robinson Chirinos. However, Kemp benefitted from hometown scorers after he was rewarded an infield single in the third inning. Shortstop Jurickson Profar threw the ball away on a close play that allowed Kemp to advance to second.
Sarah went with Justin Turner, who had a much easier way to kick-start her streak. Turner simply sent a home run into the seats in the first inning — his only hit of the contest.
Sarah’s pick — Current streak 1: Cody Bellinger
My pick for today is Cody Bellinger. After a long slump, it seems that Bellinger is finally back to the kind of player we all know he can be. His defense at first is the best I’ve ever seen but it’s his offense as the plate is what’ll help the Dodger play well against their rivals this weekend.
Speaking of the team from the Bay Area, the Giants will send Derek Holland to the mound tonight against current Dodgers’ ace, Ross Stripling.
In his career against Holland, Bellinger is 0-1, which is the very definition of a small sample size. Holland has spent the entirety of his career prior to this season in the American League, meaning most Dodgers haven’t faced Holland more than a handful of times.
Bellinger is one of those players. Though I usually like to make my picks based off a current Dodgers’ stats against that evening’s starter, I’m doing the exact opposite today.
Bellinger hasn’t faced Holland nearly enough to develop a reputation against him. He doesn’t have a history of striking out against him, nor does he tend to his homers when facing him at the plate.
Tonight, especially with how well Bellinger has been playing, anything can happen, and when the Dodgers play the Giants, we must, as they say, expect the unexpected.
Jason’s pick — Current streak 4: Cody Bellinger
I am also going with Cody Bellinger, but I promise I made up my mind before Sarah sent me her selection for today’s article.
Sarah pretty much already gave you a pretty good rundown on why Bellinger is due for a hit. He has a much better approach at the plate and has been hitting the ball hard consistently.
Instead of giving you another deep run down, I am going to call my shot. I have this gut feeling that Cody Bellinger is going to have a vintage 2017 Cody Bellinger performance. The Dodgers’ bats are going to come out hot with Cody Bellinger leading the way with a multi-home run game.
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If he goes 0-4 with three strikeouts I am going to look pretty foolish. However, I am not just calling a hit for Bellinger, or a home run, I am calling multiple Belli Bombs.