Dodgers Brewers Game Four Preview

The Dodgers look to take the four-game series from Milwaukee.

Is yesterday’s game over yet? Long games are usually brutal, but it’s always nice to come out on top.

Mike Bolsinger was awful (and possibly pitching hurt). The story unfortunately starts with him. Give him credit for trying to stick it out and I honestly thought they should have left him in to protect the bullpen yesterday, but they proved me wrong by coming back with an offensive explosion.

Carlos Frias could just be here as a bullpen reinforcement, or he could take Bolsinger’s spot in the rotation, which comes up next on Friday in Pittsburgh. The other story from yesterday has to be the bullpen. The bullpen has thrown 16.1 innings in this three-game series. They had their struggles Thursday and part of Friday night, but last night Chris Hatcher went 2.1 hitless innings, Casey Fien allowed a run in two innings, and Adam Liberatore threw two perfect innings. The Brewers were obviously swinging the bat well early on, but the bullpen came in and shut them down enough for the offense to break out.

The Dodgers guaranteed a series split last night, and they look for the series win tonight with Kenta Maeda on the mound. The short bullpen might be troublesome as Maeda left his last start after taking a Paul Goldschmidt comebacker off the leg, but he seemed to have a solid recovery overnight, as his limp was much better the next day. Maeda had a rough stretch in May, but has largely been great and has easily been the Dodgers’ best starter not named Clayton Kershaw. He might start to wear down in the hot Summer, but he’s already been worth the guaranteed portion of his contract.

Matt Garza gets the start for the Brewers. I find it astonishing that he’s never been a Dodger in his career, seeing as there were rumors of that happening for like six straight years. Garza made his season debut last week in San Francisco and allowed eight hits in four innings, but only allowed one run. Garza last faced the Dodgers on May 5th of last year and allowed three runs in six innings, but the Dodgers won 8-2.

A much more normal lineup than yesterday, as Chase Utley is back in his leadoff spot. Joc Pederson went 3-5 and saw a game-high 28 pitches as the leadoff man yesterday.

A.J Ellis is back behind the plate after Yasmani Grandal had started the first three games of this series. Day game after a night game, so that’s not much of a surprise. Maeda has yet to allow a homer with Ellis behind the plate and has 30 strikeouts and only four walks in 30 innings.

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First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.