The Los Angeles Dodgers would love to see Mookie Betts get back in the swing of things and watch Yoshinobu Yamamoto beat the San Francisco Giants for the first time in his career.
The Dodgers will have their chance on Tuesday night when the National League West rivals continue a three-game series in Los Angeles.
The Giants extended their winning streak to two games and the Dodgers’ skid to three with a 9-3 romp in the series opener Monday night.
Coming off a 13-hit attack in a 7-6, 12-inning home victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, the Giants roughed up six Dodgers pitchers for 12 hits in Monday’s win.
Rafael Devers, who had four hits in the three-game Pittsburgh series, added two hits — including a homer — in Los Angeles. His batting average is .240, the highest it’s been since April 2.
Giants manager Tony Vitello was as impressed with a bases-loaded, full-count walk drawn by Devers on Monday as he was with the slugger’s hits.
“When the takes are good and the swings are good, the law of percentages will show that you’re good, no matter who you are,” Vitello said. “So I would apply that to Raffy (on Monday).”
Devers, who also contributed three runs and two RBIs to the series-opening win, will hope to build on his recent success in Tuesday’s matchup with Yamamoto, who has dominated the head-to-head the last two seasons. Devers has just one hit and one walk in 12 plate appearances against the 27-year-old Dodgers right-hander.
That hit came when San Francisco handed Yamamoto (3-2, 3.09 ERA) one of his two losses this season in the Giants’ 3-1 home win on April 21. Yamamoto allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings in that meeting, a defeat that dropped him to 0-2 with a 3.19 ERA in six career starts against the rival.
The Giants took two of three games from the two-time defending World Series champions in that series.
Yamamoto didn’t have Betts around to provide offensive support in the April contest. The shortstop returned from a five-week absence due to a strained right oblique to go 1-for-5 with a strikeout in Monday’s defeat.
The perennial All-Star assured the media before the game that he’s fully recovered and looking forward to big things.
“I just want to go out and help the team win, whatever it takes,” Betts said. “I’m in a really good spot; everything’s pretty normal now.”
Betts has faced the Giants’ scheduled starting pitcher on Tuesday, right-hander Adrian Houser (0-4, 6.19 ERA), eight times in his career, going 2-for-7 with a walk and a strikeout.
Houser has propelled the Giants to just one victory in his seven starts this season, although he pitched well enough to win his last time out when he held the San Diego Padres to one earned run on three hits over six innings in a 5-1 loss on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old has yet to defeat the Dodgers in his career, going 0-3 with a 12.34 ERA in three starts.
–Field Level Media
