Los Angeles @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2015 ) LA Dodgers 3, NY Mets 0

The New York Mets will avoid baseball's most vaunted 1-2 pitching tandem - at least temporarily - when they continue their four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Zack Greinke, who is riding a 43 2/3-inning scoreless streak, flew back to Los Angeles to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's first child and will miss Friday's scheduled start.

The Mets could use a reprieve after they managed only three hits and were blanked for the 11th time this season by reigning Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. Left fielder Michael Cuddyer (knee) remains a candidate to go on the 15-day disabled list for New York, which fell to 2-5 in its 10-game stretch against three division leaders to open the second half. Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was 3-for-4 in the series opener, giving him multiple hits in five of seven games coming out of the All-Star break. Left-hander Ian Thomas, who has two relief appearances for Los Angeles this season, makes his first career start Friday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNLA (Los Angeles), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Ian Thomas (0-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (5-8, 3.36)

Thomas, who was acquired from Atlanta at the end of May, was knocked around for four runs on five hits over three innings in his debut with the Dodgers on July 2. The 28-year-old followed that up with two hitless innings of relief against Philadelphia five days later. Thomas, who was 1-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 16 appearances with the Braves last year, was 4-1 with a 6.30 ERA in eight outings (five starts) at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

After going nine starts without a victory, Niese remained undefeated in July by tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings of five-hit ball in a no-decision at St. Louis last time out. He gave up three runs over 14 2/3 innings in winning his previous two starts and has not permitted more three three earned runs in his last eight turns. Niese split a pair of decisions last year versus the Dodgers and is 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers SS Jimmy Rollins hit his 31st career homer against the Mets - the third-most against them among active players.

2. Mets RF Curtis Granderson has hit safely in eight straight games after breaking up Kershaw's perfect game in the seventh inning.

3. Kershaw and Greinke - who could pitch over the weekend - have combined to allow one run in 56 innings in July.

PREDICTION: Mets 5, Dodgers 3