Los Angeles Dodgers look to avoid sweep by the San Francisco Giants
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost two in a row against the San Francisco Giants and need a promising Sunday afternoon win to shake the sour feeling.
There is something about the San Francisco Giants that makes the Los Angeles Dodgers struggle. For some reason, the Giants always play the Dodgers tough, despite how much better the Dodgers will be at any given time.
This is probably because it is a rivalry game and this game means a lot to the Giants, but still, it is not that promising. There are three teams that the Dodgers always seem to struggle against: the Giants, the Los Angeles Angels and the St. Louis Cardinals. The all-time records back this up.
The Angels, Cardinals and Giants are the only active MLB teams to have a winning record against the Dodgers with at least 50 games played.
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It might not feel like a big deal for the Dodgers but it absolutely is. The Atlanta Braves are hot and have significantly closed the gap for the best record in the National League. Forget potential home-field advantage in the World Series, the Dodgers could lose home-field advantage in the NLCS against the Braves, if that matchup happens.
The Braves are only 2.5 games behind the Dodgers for the best record in the NL, so it is time for the Dodgers to really buckle down and hold them off. If they keep playing like they have been playing then it is not going to be good for the Boys in Blue.
This should mean wins against bad teams like the Giants, but of course, it hasn’t. With a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles coming up, the Dodgers could really get hot with a win on Sunday.
But hey, nothing is for sure and maybe the Dodgers might get swept today and then swept by the Orioles. You never know.
I highly doubt that but the Dodgers still need a win today. As part of our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak series, here is who we think can get at least one hit so the team can hopefully score a run on Sunday, unlike Saturday.
Jason’s pick (Current streak: 1): Cody Bellinger
What do you know, there is a mediocre division rival pitcher on the mound that the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t terrible against! There are so many of these mediocre pitchers that just shut the Dodgers out (Tyler Beede, Eric Lauer), but Dereck Rodriguez is not one of them.
Rodriguez has a 17.47 ERA against the Dodgers. In five and two-thirds innings, Rodriguez has allowed 11 runs. So, at least on paper, the Dodgers should actually have a big offensive day.
If the Dodgers do have a big offensive day then you know that Cody Bellinger has to be a part of it. Bellinger has cooled down since his remarkably hot start but he is still a power threat and a menace in the lineup.
Top 10 teams in Dodgers' history. dark. Next
Bellinger hasn’t had a two-home run game in what feels like forever (July 15). He is going to change that with two bombs against the Giants on Sunday.