Dodgers Angels Game Three Preview

Dodgers will take the “long” journey to Angels Stadium this evening for the third game in the series and the first away from Chavez Ravine.

Dodgers got their first win of the series last night when Clayton Kershaw took the mound. Kershaw again had another dominant outing. He struck out 11, allowed four hits and only one run. Joc Pederson and Corey Seager went yard again. The young guns are coming through for the boys in blue.

Tonight they will take the series to Angels Stadium in Anaheim for two more games. The Dodgers will be sending Mike Bolsinger to the mound. Bolsinger is getting the start as the sixth man in the rotation in order to give rest to the rest of the starting rotation. The Dodgers are in the middle of a stretch of 20 games without a day off so Dave Roberts is trying to protect his staff by adding Bolsinger to today’s start. In order to make room and add Bolsinger to the roster, the Dodgers optioned Charlie Culberson to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

This will be Bolsinger’s first start of 2016 and he is expected to throw five innings or 80 pitches. Roberts even admitted that Bolsinger might be added to the pen depending on how this start goes. In 2015 he had a record of 6-6 and an ERA of 3.62. He also struck out 98 batters and walked 45. After rehabbing and spending time at triple A it will be interesting to see how Bolsinger bounces back with the big league club.

The Angels will be sending Nick Tropeano to the mound. Tropeano is coming into tonight’s start with a record of 1-2 and an ERA of 3.68. So far in 2016, he has struck out 39 batters and walked 20. The 25 year-old right handed pitcher has thrown 36.2 innings for the club this season and allowed 15 earned runs. This is his second season with the Angels after being traded from the Houston Astros.

Roberts’ and the Dodgers lineup was just released for this evenings game.

Adrian Gonzalez is out of the lineup for the second straight day as he deals with a back injury. Trayce Thompson keeps his spot in left, but Carl Crawford is in the lineup as a DH, giving the Dodgers some speed in the 9-hole.

Yasiel Puig hits eighth for the first time in his career and is in the middle of a huge slump. Most of the other players have started to snap dry spells, but Puig has looked bad at the plate of late. Some of it is him hitting the ball hard and having rotten luck, but he needs to turn it around.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA and FS West (Angels broadcast).