While the Chicago Cubs have been carving up their schedule in the early part of the season, games against the Los Angeles Dodgers have been a particular issue.
The Cubs dropped to 0-3 against the Dodgers this season after a 3-0 loss Friday. They will try to break the hex when the teams face each other for the middle contest of a three-game series on Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Cubs dropped two games against the Dodgers in Japan last month and fell again Friday as the teams engaged in a pitchers’ duel. The Cubs’ schedule has seven games against the Dodgers by April 23 and Chicago has six games versus the San Diego Padres this month with three against the Philadelphia Phillies later this month.
“There’s no question the month of April has very good teams on it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s just a fact. Everybody plays the same schedule, so that’s not daunting. It’s just we’re in that part of it. The only thing you can do about that is come out and play a good game.”
Right-hander Ben Brown (1-1, 7.71 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago on Saturday.
Brown, who will be making his third start of the season and 11th of his career, gave up five runs on seven hits over four innings Sunday against the Padres.
He has faced the Dodgers this season, giving up three runs (two earned) over a 2 2/3-inning relief appearance in the opening game of the season at Tokyo.
The Cubs’ offense was held in check by Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamomoto in that game, and it was more of the same Friday when they failed to score in six innings against the Dodgers’ starter.
Not only were the Cubs shut out for the first time this season, they have averaged just 1.3 runs per game against the Dodgers in three matchups.
Following a disappointing 2-4 road trip, the Dodgers returned home to improve to 7-0 in their own ballpark.
Tommy Edman was the difference for the Dodgers with a three-run home run off Matthew Boyd in the sixth inning Friday. Los Angeles pitching allowed two hits, while retiring the last 10 batters of the game.
Acquired by the Dodgers at the trade deadline last season, Edman has been everything his new club could have hoped for. The MVP of last season’s National League Championship Series ended up taking over at shortstop for the club’s championship playoff run.
This season, he has delivered six home runs to tie for the early lead in the NL.
“It’s just having a better swing,” Edman said on the Spectrum SportsNet LA broadcast. “I talk about it all the time but I think it just comes back to the work in the cage. And then once it comes time for the game, trust what I have done to prepare. Just have a good idea of what I’m trying to do at the plate with each pitcher.”
Edman will look to supply run support for right-hander Roki Sasaki on Saturday. The rookie struggled with his command while issuing nine walks over his first two starts but was improved last Saturday at Philadelphia when he gave up one run over four innings with two walks and four strikeouts.
“I think he was just more convicted in his fastball,” Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said.
–Field Level Media
