Los Angeles Dodgers: Keeping the momentum rolling against San Diego

The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off the most important series of the season and need to keep riding that hot streak against the last-place San Diego Padres.

This last month of the season has been strange for the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a very tough August, Dodger fans were happy to see that this month included games against the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and San Diego Padres.

And even though the Mets and Reds are two of the bottom four teams in the league (as are the Padres) the Dodgers went a combined 2-4 against them this month. In games that should have been a relief, the Dodgers floundered.

However, the Dodgers came up huge in the games that mattered. LA won three of four against Arizona to start the month, beat the Rockies two games to one a week later, nearly swept the Cardinals a week after that and are coming off a sweep over the Colorado Rockies.

After all of this, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a two and a half game lead in the NL West (and one game cushion in the NL Wild Card) with nine games to go. If Los Angeles goes 5-4 over the last nine (which should be no problem with three games against the Padres and Giants) the Rockies would have to go 8-2 to win the division.

The goal for these last nine games should be six wins as that would make it very hard for Colorado to overcome the deficit.

That starts Friday night in the last series at Dodger Stadium of 2018. Here are the bats that we think will power the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 0: Brian Dozier

My pick for this evenings opener against the Padres is Brian Dozier. Dozier hasn’t been great lately but is an incredibly reliable defender for the Dodgers at second. Sadly, it seems that this season (and hopefully postseason) could be the end of his time as a Dodger.

With free agency and a new contract, looming, he may not stay in LA. Thankfully, if both the Dodgers and Dozier see his potential as a Dodger, his contract is one this team can afford. Now, Dozier has never faced tonight’s starter for the Padres, Eric Lauer, but that doesn’t really matter.

What does matter is Dozier and his ability to hit the ball out of the park. Will we see it happen tonight?

Jason’s pick — Current streak 0: Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp is not as reliable of a pick as he was in the early parts of the season but that will not stop me from picking TheRealMattKemp against his old team, the Padres.

Kemp is hitting .418 against his old team this season and should be right in the middle of the order with a left-handed pitcher on the mound in Eric Lauer. The rookie southpaw has a 4.74 ERA on the season and Kemp is 2-6 against him with a double.

Kemp hit a very long home run on Wednesday and I doubt he can go two games in a row with a home run. However, Kemp getting a base hit should be a near-guarantee.