New York @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2012 ) NY Mets 9, LA Dodgers 0

Johan Santana attempts to continue his dominance of the Los Angeles Dodgers when he takes the mound for the visiting New York Mets in the second contest of a three-game set. Santana has allowed just two runs in 27 2/3 innings while winning all four of his career starts against the Dodgers. The Mets won Friday’s opener 9-0 as Los Angeles lost its sixth straight game. The Dodgers have been blanked in four of the last five contests.

Rumors are circulating that the Dodgers are pursuing Carlos Lee of the Houston Astros in hopes of boosting a sagging offense. The loss of center fielder Matt Kemp (hamstring) has been devastating and right fielder Andre Ethier (oblique) won’t play until Sunday at the earliest. New York received eight innings of shutout pitching from R.A. Dickey on Friday to beat the Dodgers for the second straight night. Second baseman Daniel Murphy homered and matched a career-high with five RBIs. Shortstop Ruben Tejada had four hits and is 8-for-15 over the last three games.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Johan Santana (5-4, 3.00 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Nathan Eovaldi (0-4, 4.04)

Santana had won four of five starts before losing to the Chicago Cubs in his last outing. He gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. Santana is holding opposing hitters to a .215 average.

Eovaldi is making his seventh start of the season. He was torched by the San Francisco Giants in his last outing as he gave up eight runs and 10 hits in five innings. Eovaldi has a 2.08 ERA in two home starts. He has never faced the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles has tallied just two runs over its last 48 innings.

2. New York 3B David Wright is hitting .395 in 51 career games against the Dodgers.

3. Dodgers INF Juan Uribe is batting .145 and has struck out 20 times in 62 career at-bats against Santana.