Preview: Phillies at Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The Philadelphia Phillies try to avoid a second straight loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers when the teams meet Sunday evening at Dodger Stadium.

First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. under clear skies and 75 degrees. The Dodgers (37-20) have the best record in the National League, while the Phillies (29-28) are trying to climb above .500.

Philadelphia right-hander Andrew Painter (1-5, 4.50 ERA) will oppose Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4-4, 3.20 ERA). Painter, in his first full major league season, has lost his past three decisions. Yamamoto has been sharp at home, posting a 2.70 ERA over four starts at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers took the series opener Friday 4-2 behind a dominant outing from Justin Wrobleski (7 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 9 strikeouts). Saturday’s game was scoreless – the teams played six innings before a rain delay forced a suspension, with the game to be completed later.

Players to watch

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, who started Friday’s loss (6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 K), has been solid over his past five outings, going 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA – though that includes the loss to the Dodgers. He will not pitch Sunday but is a key figure for Philadelphia’s rotation.

Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski, the likely starter for Monday’s series finale, has been streaky. He earned the win Friday, but in his previous start May 22 at Milwaukee he allowed 5 runs in 5 innings. He struck out nine Phillies on Friday, matching his season high.

Recent trends

The Phillies have won three of their past four games, taking a three-game sweep at San Diego earlier in the week. The Dodgers have won four of five, outscoring opponents 29-11 in that stretch.

Los Angeles’ offense is led by Shohei Ohtani, who went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI in Friday’s win. The Dodgers have scored at least 4 runs in seven of their past eight games.

Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer Friday, but the Phillies managed only 2 runs and 4 hits. The team bats .242 on the road.

Betting line

The Dodgers are listed as -1.5 run-line favorites, with the over/under set at 9. A game simulation projects a 7-6 Los Angeles victory.

Looking ahead

The Phillies return home Tuesday to begin a six-game homestand against San Diego and the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers open a four-game series Monday at Arizona.

Sunday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN.