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Diamondbacks-Dodgers Preview

Aug 31, 2009 - 5:11 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Arizona (58-72) at Los Angeles (77-53), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers received outstanding pitching from their bullpen over the weekend, but with Randy Wolf taking the mound in the opener of their homestand, the relievers don't figure to be the ones in the spotlight.

Wolf looks to win his fifth straight start as the Dodgers open a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Los Angeles (78-53) begins the week with the best record in the NL and a six-game lead over the Rockies in the West. The Dodgers return for a seven-game homestand after winning two of three at both Colorado and Cincinnati. They closed the trip with back-to-back wins over the Reds, concluding with a 3-2, 12-inning victory Sunday.

Clayton Kershaw and five relievers combined for 20 strikeouts - the club's highest total in 37 years - and Matt Kemp had a sacrifice fly in the 12th after homering in the fifth.

Kemp is batting .385 with four homers and nine RBIs in his last 10 games.

The bullpen has pitched 20 1-3 scoreless innings over the last five games, giving up 21 hits while striking out 26.

"They've been awesome the whole year," Kershaw said of the relievers, who lead the majors in wins and ERA. "They've picked up everybody. They've been the rock of this team."

The Dodgers bullpen pitched 11 2-3 innings in the last two games so Los Angeles will hand the ball to Wolf (9-6, 3.25 ERA) on Monday, hoping he can continue to pitch deep into his starts.

Wolf has won his last four outings, posting a 1.80 ERA. He pitched 7 1-3 innings against Colorado on Wednesday, allowing one run and five hits in a 6-1 victory. Wolf has lasted at least seven innings in five consecutive starts.

The left-hander is 8-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 15 starts versus the Diamondbacks (59-72), including 2-0 with a 3.92 ERA against them this year.

Wolf and the Dodgers will try to cool off an Arizona team that is looking to match its longest winning streak of the season. The Diamondbacks beat Houston 4-3 on Sunday for their fourth straight victory.

Arizona, which outscored the Astros 27-10 in the three-game sweep, has scored 38 runs during the four-game streak after losing nine of 10. The Diamondbacks managed only 28 runs during those 10 games.

After this series, the Diamondbacks visit Colorado before hosting the Dodgers for three games, giving Arizona the opportunity to play spoiler in the NL West and wild-card races.

"We'd like nothing better than for the guys sitting in the opposite dugout to think of us as a thorn in their side," manager A.J. Hinch told the Diamondbacks' official Web site. "We've been sort of Jekyll and Hyde but, depending on which team shows up, we can be pretty dangerous."

Justin Upton was 6 for 12 over the weekend with two home runs, but is 4 for 20 with seven strikeouts in seven games against the Dodgers this season.

The Diamondbacks will hand the ball to Doug Davis (7-11, 3.75), who is winless in his last three starts.

Davis gave up three runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-3 loss to San Francisco on Wednesday. He did not receive a decision in that outing.

The left-hander is 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 11 starts against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles' Manny Ramirez is 10 for 23 with a home run against Davis.

The Diamondbacks will likely not have the services of closer Chad Qualls, who dislocated his left kneecap on the final play of Sunday's win. Qualls, who has 24 saves in 29 chances, underwent X-rays after the game but the severity of his injury was not known.