Dodgers head home to face Pirates (May 08, 2017)
LOS ANGELES -- A rare rainout Sunday in San Diego cooled off sizzling Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger for at least a day.
The final contest of the three-game set against the Padres was postponed because of the wet weather, only the third time that has occurred in the 14 seasons the Padres have called Petco Park home.
Bellinger and the Dodgers are scheduled to resume play with a three-game homestand beginning Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium.
The rainout provided the Dodgers a blow before facing the Pirates, a series that will be followed by a seven-game road trip on which Los Angeles will face the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants.
Bellinger was spared being optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City because ongoing elbow problems forced first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the 10-day disabled list on Friday, yet he has been the star of the Dodgers' show for the past 11 games.
Since being called up on April 25, Bellinger is batting .357 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. Bellinger is tied for the team lead in homers with Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig and Andrew Toles.
Bellinger connected for his fifth long ball and drove in a career-high five RBIs with his first major league grand slam in a 10-2 rout of woeful San Diego on Saturday.
"That was amazing," said Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, the game's winning pitcher. "I haven't seen too many people put a barrel on that let alone hit a home run."
The Dodgers are 8-3 since Bellinger joined the club and 7-1 when he records a hit.
Los Angeles (17-14) has won seven of the past nine contests, including the last two against the Padres.
The Pirates (14-17) took two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, though they lost 6-2 on Sunday when a couple of errors cost them.
"Today, our defense hurt us," manager Clint Hurdle said.
Pirates right-hander Trevor Williams (1-1. 5.40 ERA) will be on the hill Monday for his second career major league start and first this season. Williams has never faced the Dodgers.
The Dodgers hadn't determined late Sunday whether they would start right-hander Brandon McCarthy (3-0, 3.10 ERA) or lefty Alex Wood (2-0, 3.28). Manager Dave Roberts could skip McCarthy, who is bothered by a shoulder injury sustained lifting weights Wednesday. McCarthy already was pushed back a day after his scheduled start Saturday was filled by Kershaw.
"Obviously if it's too much of a concern, he wouldn't be slated for (Sunday)," Roberts told The Orange County Register. "He's sore but pitchable."
Wood is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in six career games (five starts) against the Pirates. Wood hasn't pitched against them since Aug. 9, 2015, in Pittsburgh, where he allowed three runs on five hits but did not factor into the decision in a 13-6 win by the Pirates.
Wood earned a decision in his last outing Tuesday despite giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with a season-high eight strikeouts and a walk in five innings in a 13-5 Los Angeles win over the San Francisco Giants.
McCarthy last pitched April 29, when he allowed four runs in five innings during a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies. He is 1-2 with a 5.66 ERA in five career games (four starts) vs. Pittsburgh.
At least one Pirate is likely hoping Wood makes the start. Slumping right fielder Andrew McCutchen, who got the day off Sunday, is batting .218 with five homers and 15 RBIs. However, McCutchen is hitting .367 against left-handers this season.
