Dodgers Look to Continue Historical Run Thursday in Arizona

Thursday’s Major League Baseball calendar is highlighted by a National League West showdown when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks. The current line on top sportsbooks has Los Angeles favored at -170, Arizona at +145 and the over/under run total on 9.5.

Entering this game, Los Angeles on the season is 80-33 overall and 33-20 on the road. The Dodgers are 8-2 in their last 10 games played. Arizona on the season is 64-49 overall and 37-19 at home. The Diamondbacks are 5-5 in their last 10 games played.

Los Angeles must win this game in order not to lose its first season in over two months. Los Angeles became the first MLB team to reach 80 wins with is 3-2 victory on Wednesday over the D-backs. The last time the Dodgers lost a series was June 5-7 against the Washington Nationals. Over its past 53 games, Los Angeles is 45-8.

Rookie Cody Bellinger continues his great play as he was 2-for-4 on Wednesday and hit his third homer in the past four games. Bellinger leads the Dodgers in home runs with 33. Los Angeles is 15 ½ games in front of second place Colorado in the NL West.

Arizona is 1-3 over its past four games played, but is 6 ½ games in the lead for the second NL wildcard and one half game behind Colorado for the first wildcard spot.

Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has 10 hits in 24 at bats including 4 home runs and 11 RBIs during his current hitting streak of six straight games.

Los Angeles will send Yu Darvish to the mound on Thursday. The Dodgers right-hander is 7-9 with an ERA of 3.81. Arizona will counter with Anthony Banda. The Diamondbacks left-hander is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.86.

Darvish’s debut with the Dodgers was very strong as he scattered three hits while striking out 10 in seven innings of shutout pitching to record a win over the New York Mets.

Banda defeated San Francisco in his latest outing giving up three hits and one run across six innings in just the second start of his major league career.

Los Angeles is 13-3 in its last 16 games against opponents in the NL West.

Arizona is 2-6 in its last 8 games against NL West opponents.

Prediction: The Dodgers are just too go to bet against. Lean here towards the visitors.