Dodgers Vs. Pirates Preview: Zack Greinke Aiming To Get Series Split

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The Los Angeles Dodgers ended a three-game losing streak with a dominating win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday that saw Hanley Ramirez going 4-for-4 with five RBIs. With the win, the Dodgers also avoided suffering their first four-game losing streak this season.

Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched six solid innings Saturday and now Zack Greinke takes the mound as the Dodgers are looking for another win and split of the four-game series. Greinke threw 7.2 innings and struck out 11 in his last start, which was a win that moved his record to 8-1.

The eight wins has Greinke tied for second most in the Majors and he’s been invaluable to a Dodger pitching staff that at separate times saw two of its pitchers on the disabled list. Greinke is 5-2 with a 5.29 ERA against the Pirates in eight career starts. The right-hander faced the Pirates twice last season and split the starts.

Staring opposite Greinke is former Dodger Edinson Volquez, who is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last two starts after beginning the season 0-3 through his first four starts. Volquez started five games for the Dodgers in 2013, going 0-2.

Volquez has made seven career starts against the Dodgers and is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA. The 30-year-old won his first outing against the Dodgers in 2008 and has gone 1-3 since that point. Looking to build on their hitting from Saturday’s game, the Dodgers may be in good position as Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez and Matt Kemp have all hit Volquez well.

The Dodgers will conclude their homestand with a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox before hitting the road for seven games.

Dodgers Lineup:

2B: Gordon

CF: Ethier

RF: Puig

SS: Ramirez

1B: Gonzalez

LF: Kemp

3B: Turner

C: Butera

P: Greinke

Pirates Lineup:

RF: Harrison

2B: Walker

CF: McCutchen

1B: Davis

C: Martin

3B: Alvarez

LF: Marte

SS: Barmes

P: Volquez
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