San Francisco (2-1) at LA Dodgers (1-2)
When: Sunday, April 1st 2018
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Time: 8:35 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Los Angeles -216/8
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get a $250 Signup Bonus to bet MLB Baseball odds and props!
It took a couple of days, but the Los Angeles Dodgers offense finally broke through the San Francisco Giants pitching staff after back-to-back heartbreaking losses to open the season. It wasn’t an offensive explosion by any means, but L.A. got timely hitting against Giants’ starter Derek Holland in the 5-0 victory. Kenta Maeda provided his team’s third straight strong pitching outing, pitching five shutout innings allowing five hits and one walk and while striking out 10. The Giants shutout the Dodgers 1-0 in each of the first two games behind solo homers by Joe Panik, who went 2-for-5 on Saturday. The Dodgers’ scoring drought ended after 18 innings, as Chris Taylor opened the game with a walk, took third on a double by Enrique Hernandez and scored on Yasiel Puig’s sacrifice fly. Matt Kemp followed with a single, scoring Hernandez for a 2-0 lead and that was all Maeda needed. Ross Stripling pitched two innings, followed by Pedro Baez and Scott Alexander with one apiece, completing the shutout. They allowed a combined four hits and two walks, but were aided by two double plays. The Dodgers’ pitching staff has a 0.67 ERA through three games but could use some offensive support from players such as Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger and Logan Forsythe, who are a combined 0-for-28 to open the season.
Pitchers: Giants – Chris Stratton (2017: 4-4, 3.68 ERA) | Dodgers – Rich Hill (2017: 12-8, 3.32)
Chris Stratton gets the start for San Francisco after earning a spot in the rotation during spring training and drawing raves for his improved curve ball. Stratton, who is in his third MLB season, sports a 1-1 record and 6.75 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Dodgers. Stratton was rocked in Dodger Stadium last September, lasting only only four innings and taking a 3-1 loss.
Rich Hill was not great during the month of March in Arizona, recording a 7.30 ERA across 12.1 innings in four games, including a rough five-inning stint against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. Hill has battled blister problems over the past two years but posted a 3.31 ERA in his final 23 starts last season. Brandon Belt is 4-for-8 with a home run against Hill, who is 5-2 with a 2.43 ERA in 11 career starts versus the Giants.
[ad id=’66661′]
Both of these teams are struggling at the plate, but I think the Giants bust out against a struggling Hill tonight. The Giants are actually outhitting the Dodgers in this series 19-11 despite just scoring one run. L.A. seems to be suffering from that World Series hangover early on and I’m laying -180 on them.
Pick: Giants +165
BETTING TRENDS:
- Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. National League West.
- Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 overall.
- Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 games on grass.
- Giants are 13-5 in their last 18 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
- Giants are 19-39 in their last 58 road games.
- Giants are 5-12 in their last 17 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Giants are 2-6 in their last 8 Sunday games.
- Giants are 3-13 in their last 16 during game 4 of a series.
- Giants are 1-4 in Stratton’s last 5 road starts.
- Dodgers are 12-4 in their last 16 vs. National League West.
- Dodgers are 6-2 in their last 8 during game 4 of a series.
- Dodgers are 5-2 in their last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Dodgers are 73-30 in their last 103 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 58-24 in their last 82 home games.
- Dodgers are 21-9 in their last 30 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Dodgers are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Dodgers are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 overall.
- Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 games on grass.
- Dodgers are 6-1 in Hill’s last 7 starts.
- Dodgers are 6-1 in Hill’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Dodgers are 5-1 in Hill’s last 6 home starts.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in Hill’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 2-0-2 in Giants last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
- Under is 6-1 in Giants last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 on grass.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 vs. National League West.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Giants last 6 Sunday games.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Giants last 9 road games.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Giants last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
- Under is 4-1 in Stratton’s last 5 road starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 overall.
- Under is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 on grass.
- Under is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 home games.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Dodgers last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Dodgers last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 6-2 in Dodgers last 8 vs. National League West.
- Under is 18-7-2 in Dodgers last 27 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Under is 47-21-1 in Dodgers last 69 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 5-1 in Hill’s last 6 starts vs. National League West.
- Under is 4-1 in Hill’s last 5 Sunday starts.
- Over is 5-2 in Hill’s last 7 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings in Los Angeles.
- Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.
- Under is 4-0 in Hill’s last 4 home starts vs. Giants.
- Under is 5-1 in Hill’s last 6 starts vs. Giants.
