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Ramirez, Dodgers aim for eighth straight win

Sep 7, 2008 - 12:45 PM Arizona (71-70) at LA Dodgers (72-70) 4:10 p.m. EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up Manny Ramirez to push them past the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West. He has done just that.

Ramirez will be looking to lead the Dodgers to their eighth straight win and keep them in first place when they go for a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Ramirez, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox at the July 31 deadline, is batting .403 with a .716 slugging percentage in 34 games with Los Angeles. During that span, Los Angeles has gone from three games behind Arizona to one-half game ahead.

The Dodgers trailed by as much as 4 1/2 games on August 29 before beginning their recent surge.

Los Angeles has outscored the Diamondbacks 14-2 in the first two games of the series, and Ramirez drove in five runs to spark Saturday's 7-2 win. The All-Star slugger hit his 31st homer - 11th with the Dodgers - in the win.

Arizona will look to salvage the series and hop back into first place behind rookie Max Scherzer (0-2, 2.65 ERA). The 23-year-old righthander takes the place of ageless lefthander Randy Johnson, who was scratched from the start with a sore left shoulder.

Scherzer, the 11th overall pick in 2006, has made 12 appearances - three starts - for the Diamondbacks this season and consistently hits 98 miles per hour with his fastball.

Los Angeles will counter with its own impressive rookie, Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 4.50). The 20-year-old lefthander was the No. 7 overall pick in 2006 and has made one start against Arizona, tossing six scoreless and allowing four hits in a no-decision.