It's been 11 whole days since the San Francisco Giants' All-Star Ryan Vogelsong has taken the mound in a game, but don't expect the man to be rusty. Vogey is set to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers' Chad Billingsley in the first game of a three game set at AT&T Park starting Monday night.
Vogelsong (6-1 2.17 ERA) last pitched on the 8th of July, posting a no decision after seven innings of two run ball, including seven hits a season high five walks and two strikeouts. Vogey hasn't flat out dominated any opponent he's faced this year, but his ability to make adjustments and work with what he's got each time on the mound is something to behold, thus making him in All-Star for the first time in his big league career at any level.
The Dodgers' Chad Billingsley (8-7 3.87 ERA) hasn't pitched since the 8th either but is coming off of eight scoreless innings against the Padres allowing five hits, five walks and four strikeouts for his eighth win of the season. Billingsley isn't only a bulldog on the mound, he is at the plate as well, sporting a .267 batting average and a .333 on base percentage, making him a dangerous bat at the bottom of the batting order unlike most pitchers in the NL.
Both teams need to win Monday night, but for opposite reasons. The Giants are looking to pad their lead in the NL West while the Dodgers are almost in baseball purgatory at 12.5 games back, in desperate need of making up ground. Unfortunately for the boys in blue San Francisco is 25-14 thus far this year against NL West opponents, losing only two series against them in 2011.
First pitch is set for 7:15 pm PT with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM.
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