Game #76 Preview: 6/29, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Mike Bolsinger RHP, 4-2, 2.95

Allen Webster RHP, 1-1, 6.46

Joc Pederson - CF	A.J. Pollock - CF
Howie Kendrick - 2B	David Peralta - LF
Justin Turner - 3B	Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
Adrian Gonzalez - 1B	Yasmany Tomas - RF
Yasiel Puig - RF	Jake Lamb - 3B
Andre Ethier - LF	Welington Castillo - C
Yasmani Grandal - C	Chris Owings - 2B
Jimmy Rollins - SS	Nick Ahmed - SS
Michael Bolsinger - RHP	Allen Webster - RHP

The last couple of seasons have not seem much struggle between Arizona and Los Angeles. That's a drastic change, considering that from the start of 2011 through the end of June 2013, the boot was firmly on the other foot, the D-backs posting a record of 29-16 against them. But since the beginning of July 2013, we have won just nine of 38 contests against the Dodgers, and the trend has accelerated: from those games in Sydney which opened the disastrous 2014 season, we are 6-22, and have lost the last nine straight in Los Angeles. After taking the first two at Chase in April, there was hope: we've dropped seven in a row since, one off the record for either team in this series.

At least we manage to avoid both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in this series, not that doing so proved of much help last time out. Bolsinger proved quite capable of handling us when Arizona faced him on June 8th, holding us to two runs over seven innings. Meanwhile, Allen Webster's appearances for the D-backs have been a struggle, with more walks than strikeouts. This could end up being his penultimate appearance: with Patrick Corbin nearing the end of his rehab process, likely getting one more start n the minors, Webster is the obvious candidate to bite the bullet when room is needed.

After a day-off for Pollock yesterday, a more normal look returns to the Arizona line-up, with A.J. again leading off, flacked in the outfield by Peralta and Tomas. Ahmed goes from hitting lead-off against a right-hander back to batting eighth against a right-hander, which seems kinda weird to me. But I think the main question that will decide the outcome of tonight's contest, is more likely to be whether Webster gives up few enough runs, rather than whether the offense is able to score enough. Going by the last couple of games, I'm not filled with optimism this game will end up going any better than the last seven versus the Dodgers.