MLB Game Preview - LA Dodgers at Philadelphia

Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:05 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies will carry the momentum of a pulsating win when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

One night after being pummeled 16-2 by the Dodgers, the Phillies rallied for a dramatic 9-8 victory Tuesday. Scott Kingery hit an RBI single off Kenley Jansen in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull Philadelphia within a run, and Bryce Harper followed with a game-winning, two-run double.

Harper, who also hit a three-run home run, tied his career high with five RBIs as the Phillies produced their fourth walk-off win in their past seven home games.

"We get knocked down. We get up," Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler said. "We keep doing it over and over."

Looking to take a series lead in the four-game set against the Dodgers, the Phillies will hand the ball to right-hander Nick Pivetta on Wednesday.

Pivetta (4-4, 5.81 ERA) owns a 6.99 ERA and an 0-3 mark in his past five starts. In his latest start, he allowed six hits and three runs in five innings on Friday in a 4-0 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Pivetta has been highly inconsistent this season, and Kapler has noticed.

"I think it's a combination of things," the manager said. "I think it's sometimes his inability to execute the game plan. And I think other times, it's an inability to get to his best fastball. Sometimes he's not able to throw his curveball for a strike. And sometimes it's a combination of all those things."

The Phillies' lineup behind Pivetta might be missing a key component Wednesday.

In the second inning Tuesday, outfielder Jay Bruce sustained a right oblique injury while swinging the bat and was forced to leave the game. Kapler said that Bruce would have an MRI exam on Wednesday to determine the severity of the ailment.

The Dodgers appeared to be on their way to another victory on Tuesday when pinch hitter Matt Beaty delivered a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning off Hector Neris, resulting in an 8-6 lead. But Jansen allowed four straight hits in the bottom of the ninth, and the Dodgers saw their three-game winning streak end.

During the loss, Dodgers right fielder Cody Bellinger hit his major-league-leading 34th home run. Just as during Monday's 14-run victory, a large portion of the fans at Citizens Bank Park were chanting "MVP!" following Bellinger's blast.

"That was special," Bellinger said. "It's cool. I mean, we're in Philadelphia. We have that many fans at the game. They've been coming out and supporting us. It's really cool."

The Dodgers will send Kenta Maeda to the mound on Wednesday, and he hopes to keep the Phillies in the ballpark.

Maeda (7-6, 3.82) has allowed 16 home runs already this season. He gave up only 13 homers all of last season.

In Maeda's latest start, he gave up four hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings in an 8-1 loss at Boston on Friday. Two of the hits were home runs.

"The first homer I gave up, I got a little too much of the plate," Maeda said. "The second one was on a 3-2 count. I felt like I needed to throw a strike and it ended up as a homer."

Maeda is 4-1 with a 4.29 ERA in seven career starts against the Phillies. He beat them on May 31 at Dodger Stadium when he allowed two runs in six innings.

Pivetta is 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA in three career outings vs. the Dodgers. He got a no-decision in Los Angeles on June 2 despite throwing six scoreless innings and striking out a season-high nine.

--Field Level Media