Preview: Zack Greinke Looks To Help Dodgers End 3-Game Skid

After losing a third straight game and being held hitless by Mike Fiers, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to get back in the win column in the second of their three-game series against the Houston Astros.

Now is as good of time as any for the Dodgers to send their aces to the hill in back-to-back games. First up is Saturday’s starter Zack Greinke, who enters having earned a win in eight of his last nine outings.

Greinke’s 1.58 ERA and 0.86 WHIP lead the Majors, despite giving up five runs to the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 6. In six career starts against the Astros he is 4-1 with an even 3.00 ERA. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they’re using a designated hitter with the game being played in an American League ballpark.

Normally that wouldn’t be considered much of a loss, but Greinke has hit a home run in each of his last two starts.

Opposing Greinke is left-hander Scott Kazmir who has lost his last three games. Since being acquired from the Oakland Athletics, Kazmir has made five starts for the Astros and holds a 1-3 record with a 2.59 ERA.

Overall Kazmir is 6-8, which is deceiving as he has pitched well this year; even being named AL pitcher of the month in July. The 31 year old is 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers, though last faced them in 2010.

Yasiel Puig makes his return to the lineup after missing the last two games due to a mild right hamstring strain. The Cuban native extended his hitting streak to five-games prior to being removed in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game in Oakland.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has stacked the lineup with all right-handed batters with the exception of Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley. The veteran second baseman starts at his usual position after making his Dodgers debut as the designated hitter Friday night.

Dodgers Lineup:

SS: Jimmy Rollins

RF: Yasiel Puig

3B: Justin Turner

1B: Adrian Gonzalez

LF: Scott Van Slyke

2B: Chase Utley

CF: Kiké Hernandez

C: Yasmani Grandal

DH: Alex Guerrero

(P: Zack Greinke)

Astros Lineup:

2B: Jose Altuve

CF: Carlos Gomez

SS: Carlos Correa

3B: Jed Lowrie

LF: Colby Rasmus

DH: Evan Gattis

1B: Luis Valbuena

RF: Jake Marisnick

C: Jason Castro

(P: Scott Kazmir)