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Dodgers-Diamondbacks Preview

Sep 25, 2010 - 5:51 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (74-79) at Arizona (62-91), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Daniel Hudson's success during his brief time with Arizona could be the beginning of a bright career with the Diamondbacks.

The rookie right-hander looks for another solid effort while trying to help the Diamondbacks avoid a fourth straight loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Acquired in the trade that sent Edwin Jackson to the White Sox in July, Hudson (6-1, 1.65 ERA) has been one of the few brights spots during another dismal season for Arizona (62-92).

He has allowed more than two runs once in 10 starts with the Diamondbacks, and two over 21 1-3 innings while going 2-0 in his last three starts. Hudson allowed a run and three hits in 6 1-3 innings, but his bullpen let him down in a 4-3 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

"My confidence is very high and it's a great, great feeling right now," he told the Diamondbacks' official website.

Hudson gets his first look at the Dodgers (75-79), who improved to 11-2 this year against the Diamondbacks with a 3-1 victory Friday.

"You're playing for pride, the pride of yourself and the pride of your team," Phoenix native Andre Ethier told the Dodgers' official website. "You're not just going to roll over."

Clayton Kershaw threw eight solid innings and former Diamondback Trent Oeltjen was 2 for 3 with an RBI as the Dodgers won for the ninth time in 11 games at Chase Field.

Ethier, a lifetime .339 hitter against the Diamondbacks, tripled and is 7 for 17 in his last four games versus Arizona.

John Ely (4-8, 5.00) makes his third start for the Dodgers on Saturday since being recalled from the minors to replace the injured Vicente Padilla (neck).

The rookie right-hander is 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA in his last two starts after allowing six runs and walking five in 4 1-3 innings of a 12-2 loss to Colorado last Saturday.

Ely fared well against Arizona during his first stint with the Dodgers, going 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts. He allowed two hits in seven innings of a 1-0, 10-inning home win over the Diamondbacks on June 1.

Kelly Johnson, who is 0 for 6 against Ely, had two of Arizona's four hits Friday. The second baseman is 7 for 18 on the Diamondbacks' final homestand that opened with a three-game sweep of Colorado.

Arizona slugger Mark Reynolds went 0 for 3 in the opener to drop his average to .199. The third baseman has a chance to become the first everyday player in major league history to finish with a higher strikeout total - he's fanned 206 times - than batting average.

"Obviously, it's been a frustration all year long," said Reynolds, who has 32 home runs but is 1 for 23 in his last seven games. "Day in and day out, trying to find something that clicks offensively. It's just not there."

Reynolds is batting .233 with two homers and 13 strikeouts in 12 games against Los Angeles this season.