MLB LOOK AHEAD

Dodgers are a hit to open season; Giants sputtering

Field Level Media

April 01, 2019 at 7:37 am.

Mar 30, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) follows through on a swing for an RBI single during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Photo Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Mar 30, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) follows through on a swing for an RBI single during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Photo Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

One weekend series was all it took for the Los Angeles Dodgers to exceed the already lofty offensive expectations that were put on the club.

The Dodgers will head into the opener of a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday at Dodger Stadium having scored 42 runs and picking up three victories in a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Giants, meanwhile, have been showing something altogether different. They lost three of four at San Diego over the weekend, not scoring more than one run in any of the defeats. The Giants scored five runs total in the four games and did not have a run over the first 17 innings of the season.

Compare that with a Dodgers offense that had scored seven runs just four innings into the season. The Dodgers already have two innings in the first four games where they scored at least five runs.

The latest victory came Sunday when the Dodgers took an early 4-0 lead, fell behind 7-4, and then rallied for an 8-7 victory with three runs in the eighth inning.

New Dodgers outfielder A.J. Pollock tormented his former team with a game-tying two-run double and then scored the go-ahead run on a Max Muncy fly ball. Pollock has already shown he fits in with his new club, delivering a four-hit game Friday.

In addition to the big hits and the 14 home runs, the Dodgers also took six more walks on Sunday and have 27 on the season.

“I think the idea of scaring pitchers out of the strike zone is something we believe in,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, according to the Orange County Register. “You earn good pitches. When they’re afraid to throw to the white part of the plate, you’re going to get your walks, and when you can slug and hit good pitches, it makes you dangerous.”

Giants left-hander Drew Pomeranz gets the chance to figure out the Dodgers offense in his first start of the season. He is next in line for a pitching staff that knows it will have to be on point until the offense can come around.

Giants pitchers gave up just 11 runs in the season-opening series at San Diego.

Pomeranz is 1-4 lifetime against the Dodgers with a 3.48 ERA over eight appearances (six starts). He has not faced them since 2016 when he held them to one run over 14 innings (0.64 ERA).

The Dodgers will send left-hander Julio Urias to the mound Monday in his first start since May 2017 after undergoing shoulder surgery. He did make three regular-season appearances last season while also pitching in the postseason.

Urias, whose fastball is back in the mid-90 mph range, had a 1.72 ERA this spring in 15 2/3 innings, striking out 15. He is 0-1 lifetime against the Giants with a 1.89 ERA in five appearances (three starts).

The Giants faced three Padres left-handers over the weekend and will get two more in succession when Hyun-Jin Ryu follows Urias on Tuesday.

“There’s a lot more left-handers than I’ve ever seen in a division,” Giants manager Bochy said. “There’s really no reason for that, except that it just happens to run in cycles, I think. … I don’t think it’s by design or anything — it just so happens we’re in a division loaded with left-handers.”

Giants third baseman Evan Longoria (calf) sat out Sunday’s series finale at San Diego but is expected to return to the lineup Monday.