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Dodgers look to continue domination of Diamondbacks

Aug 3, 2007 - 3:14 PM Arizona (60-50) at LA Dodgers (58-50) 10:40 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Winners of 12 of their last 14 games, the Arizona Diamondbacks will travel to play a three-game set on Friday against the one team that has had their number all season long, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the same 14-game stretch that the Diamondbacks went 12-2, the Dodgers have managed a 5-9 record, losing their grip on first place in the National League West to Arizona. In Los Angeles' favor, however, has been its ability to handle their division rival, beating the Diamondbacks in seven of their nine meetings this season.

Even Doug Davis (7-10, 4.11 ERA) has not been immune to the trend. He has yet to allow an earned run in three career starts against the Dodgers despite taking the loss in his last turn against them on May 2, dropping him to 2-1 lifetime against Los Angeles.

The lefthander, who suffered through a rough June in which he managed just a 2-3 record and a 6.34 ERA, went 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA in five starts in July. True to form, he permitted three runs and five hits over seven innings in a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Braves on Saturday, pushing the Diamondbacks to the fourth straight win in games Davis starts.

The Dodgers will counter with Chad Billingsley (7-1, 3.65), who hopes to recover with a strong outing after suffering his first loss - a 9-6 setback versus Colorado - in which he surrendered four runs and five hits over just 4 1/3 innings on his 23rd birthday.

The righthander would like to draw upon his previous success against the Diamondbacks, though, as he is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in five lifetime outings - three starts - against Arizona with the Dodgers winning each of those games.