Sayonara Snakes! Dodgers Go For Series Sweep in Final Meeting with D-backs

The Dodgers were DEE-lighted after they beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 on Saturday night in L.A. Hyun-jin Ryu showed his tenacity, and the left-hander will be so very important for the Dodgers if they should clinch a playoff berth again. The D-backs fought back and tied things up after Adrian Gonzalez spurred a bubble party with his 20th homerun of the season. The Dodgers, sparked by a nine-pitch RBI single by Dee Gordon in the eighth, went on to secure the series win and set up the sweep on Sunday.

Zack Greinke (13-8, 2.72) vs. Trevor Cahill (3-10, 5.06)

Lineup: 

Gordon 2B

Ramirez SS

Gonzalez 1B

Kemp RF

Ethier LF

Turner 3B

Puig CF

Butera C

Greinke P

21 games back and in shambles, the D-backs have had a terrible year. After losing their franchise player Paul Goldschmidt for the season, beaning M.V.P. Andrew McCutchen, firing their GM, and losing a lot of games, the D-backs really need to change things. The pool at Chase Field will be sitting empty this October as the Snakes try to regroup and move forward.

The Dodgers go for the three-game sweep against the Arizona D-backs on Sunday.

The Dodgers still have business to take care of this September. While the D-backs have nothing to lose anymore, the Dodgers must really focus on each at-bat of each inning of each game. The Giants are winning. Buster Posey is doing all those annoying things which we don’t like to discuss much here. The Dodgers will not be running away with the division this year. With the huge clashing of the two clubs coming up, the Dodgers aim to sweep the Snakes in order to gain momentum.

Zack Greinke has been so very good this season. I think we have all come to love his quirky smartness. I fretted a bit when the Dodgers had to tread lightly because of his elbow soreness. After losing quite a number of pitchers to Tommy John surgery this year, it frightens me when there is any sort of elbow issue especially to one of the aces of the team. Greinke is 2-0 against Arizona this year. He has a 0.93 ERA in 3 starts against them. Overall, Zack is 4-3 with a 4.05 ERA against the D-backs in 11 career starts. Last time out against San Diego, Greinke wasn’t involved in the decision, but he pitched 8 innings and only allowed 1 run on 4 hits. Aaron Hill is hitting .308 with 12 hits against Greinke with a homerun over 40 plate appearances.

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Call to the Pen

Trevor Cahill has really struggled this year. He pitched out of the Arizona bullpen for awhile, and he has only won three games all season. He picked up another loss last time out against San Diego. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits through 4 innings. He is 0-3 with a 9.98 ERA against the Dodgers this season. He’s allowed 3 homeruns and walked 12 batters in just 15 1/3 innings. Overall in his career, Cahill is 6-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) against the Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez and

have both his 2 homeruns against Cahill.

The Dodgers are now 14-4 against the D-backs this season. I can’t say that I feel bad about this. A series sweep on Sunday afternoon would be the icing on the Blue velvet cake. The Snakes have been de-fanged, and it hopefully will be like taking candy from a baby for Zack Greinke. (baby face Cahill not excluded)

Prediction: Another Bison Blast brings the bubbles.

Yasiel Puig sat out Saturday’s game because of a stomach bug. He had to receive an IV with fluids. Joc Pederson took his place in center field once again. Puig has been slumping at the plate lately. He hit just .216 in August, and he is currently hitting .167 in the month of September so far.

The Dodgers have the best lineup in the league when they all cohesively work together to produce offensive results. With a shaky bullpen outside of Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell, the inconsistencies of the Dodger offense needs to find a rhythm in September in order to have a chance to play in October.

Go Blue!