Los Angeles Dodgers: Rocking the San Diego rookie

The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the heels of a loss to the San Diego Padres and are looking to avenge a slow offensive night against another rookie pitcher.

Losses happen in the MLB, it is unfair to expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to win every single game. Coming off of a sweep over the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers were bound to lose against the San Diego Padres.

However, it still is frustrating as the Dodgers surrendered a game in the NL West when all the team needs to do is hold steady. Now, the Dodgers have a 1.5 game lead over Colorado with eight games to play, nine for the Rockies.

Even if the Dodgers finish the rest of the season with .500 baseball, which should be the bare minimum with Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler potentially making two more starts each if need be, the Rockies would have to play great baseball to narrow the gap.

Still, these games against San Diego are as close to a gimme that the Dodgers are going to get in this NL West race and the team needs to capitalize and win the last two games of the series.

Tonight, the Dodgers have a good chance of doing so with Rich Hill on the mound, who is opposed by San Diego rookie pitcher, Jacob Nix. Nix has not been great this year, pitching to a 5.75 ERA in seven appearances.

Knowing the Dodgers, Nix could still spin a gem if the bats are cold.

Here are the bats that we think will take advantage of the rookie pitcher the most and will be tasked with extending our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak hitting streaks.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 0: Manny Machado

My pick for today is Manny Machado. With this being the Dodgers last home series of the regular season, Manny Machado does have too many games left in front of the home crowd. I think he’ll be one of the guys to light up Dodger Stadium tonight.

Jason’s pick — Current streak 0: Cody Bellinger

Last night, Cody Bellinger had the biggest at-bat of the game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Coming in as a pinch hitter, Bellinger had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Los Angeles trailed 3-2.

Bellinger worked a 3-2 count, which put the runners in motion. A base hit would have tied the game, anything in the gap would have scored the speedy Tim Locastro from first.

Despite getting a great pitch to hit, a 95 mile-per-hour fastball at the thighs, Bellinger swung and missed. LA surrendered two more runs in the top of the ninth and fell 5-3.

Even tying the game would have put Kenley Jansen on the mound in the ninth inning and if the Dodgers scored in the ninth as they did, would have won the game. Instead, the Dodgers walked away as losers.

Bellinger undoubtedly has that at-bat on his mind and is going to be eager to make it up to his teammates on Saturday night. Expect a long home run from Bellinger in his first at-bat to shake the cobwebs.