Los Angeles Dodgers: Salvaging the season series in Cincy

The Los Angeles Dodgers are somehow 0-6 against the Cincinnati Reds and look to salvage the season series on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who are in the midst of the team’s tightest NL West race of the last six seasons, are somehow winless against a Cincinnati Reds team that is one of the bottom feeders of the National League.

Although the Dodgers battled to win two consecutive weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, the team cannot get it done against what is the easiest part of the second half.

After dropping two of three to the New York Mets last week, the Dodgers, at best, are going to do the same against the Reds. However, this time, there is the scary possibility of getting swept yet again by the Reds.

Los Angeles will enter Wednesday morning’s game one and a half games back of the Rockies for first place — certainly, a manageable hole to climb out of; that is, if the team can capitalize against weaker opposition.

Ross Stripling gets the start for the Dodgers, which is a glorified bullpen game as the Dodgers prepare Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Rich Hill for the St. Louis Cardinals. At least there is some sort of silver lining.

Here is who we think will get a base hit in the season series finale, which hopefully will power the Los Angeles Dodgers to salvage one win.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 0: Matt Kemp

My pick for today’s finale against Cincinnati is Matt Kemp. I know I have said this before, probably a lot, but the Dodgers need a win today.

They need a win to keep pace in the division and they need a win because if they can’t beat the Reds (they’re good, but are not contenders (yet) like the Dodgers) how will they beat the best Baseball has to offer in the postseason?

Maybe this is just random and the Dodgers can beat every team in baseball except the Reds. Maybe it’s a strange coincidence that the Dodgers just can’t seem to beat the Reds this season, I’m not sure.

That doesn’t change the fact that it’s September 12th, and the end of the season is getting closer and closer, and the Dodgers are beginning to run out of time. Matt Kemp could be the one, at least for today, to help the Dodgers get that much closer to October.

Jason’s pick — Current streak 0: Justin Turner

Honestly, the Los Angeles Dodgers are really frustrating me right now and I do not want to make some bold claim about who will do what and how they will be the hero of the game.

I am keeping it short and simple and going with the best hitter on the team (alongside Manny Machado), Justin Turner.

Teams do not win very many games in which the best hitter goes hitless. Thus, Turner needs to jump on the Reds early in the game after his day off.