LA Dodgers at Cincinnati
08/07/2007 -
LA Dodgers (58-53) at Cincinnati (47-64) 7:10 pm EDTCINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Mark Hendrickson and the Los Angeles
Dodgers were on top only one week ago. Now they are on the
outside looking in. Hendrickson and the Dodgers hope to avoid a season-high fifth
straight loss when they open a three-game series against the
Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. After dropping the rubber match of a three-game series with San
Francisco on Thursday, Los Angeles was swept over the weekend by
National League West-leading Arizona. It was the fourth time the Dodgers had dropped four in a row in
2007. Los Angeles hasn't lost five straight since losing eight
consecutive games last July. The Dodgers enter the contest four games behind the first-place
Diamondbacks (63-50) in the division standings. Los Angeles also
trails the San Diego Padres (60-51) by two games in the wild card
race. Hendrickson (4-5, 4.55 ERA) takes the mound looking for his
first winning start in almost a month. The 6-9 lefthander's last victory as a starter was July 8, a 9-3
triumph over the Florida Marlins. Since then, the 33-year-old
has gone 1-1 in five appearances. His only win in that span
came in two innings of relief in an 8-7 win at San Francisco on
July 14. Cincinnati counters with Bronson Arroyo (4-12, 4.72), who looks
to end a personal two-game losing streak. The righthanded Arroyo was tagged for seven runs and seven hits
in 1 2/3 innings in a 7-2 loss vs. Washington last Wednesday.
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