Capuano takes aim at win No. 7 vs. Astros

Capuano improved to 6-1 on Monday in Arizona, as he held the Diamondbacks to a
run and four hits over six innings to lower his earned run average to 2.25. He
also struck out five and walked a batter, while lowering his batting average
against to .201.

“I couldn’t be having more fun playing the game,” Capuano said. “Since coming
back from my second Tommy John surgery, both last year in New York and this
year in L.A., I appreciate all of this, no doubt about it.”

Capuano has faced the Astros 14 times (11 starts) and is 6-4 with a 3.34 ERA.
However, he’s 5-1 with 3.08 ERA in his last six starts against Houston dating
to 2006.

Los Angeles continued to roll on Saturday and won for the 12th time in 16
tries, as A.J. Ellis belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth
inning to lift the Dodgers to a 6-3 win.

The Dodgers squandered a one-run lead in the eighth, but Ellis’ first career
walk-off homer evened this three-game series.

Wesley Wright (0-1) hit Andre Ethier with an 0-2 pitch to start the ninth.
Pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke dropped down a sacrifice bunt before Wilton Lopez
intentionally walked James Loney. Ellis then crushed a 1-1 offering over the
left-field wall, snapping Los Angeles’ two-game losing streak.

“A great team effort tonight,” Ellis said. “We picked each other up. I’m glad
I got a chance in the ninth.”

The Dodgers, who have won seven of their last nine, are the only team in the
majors yet to lose three consecutive games this season.

Houston, which had its winning streak stopped at four games, will look to get
back on track today behind lefty J.A. Happ, who is 4-3 with a 4.56 ERA. Happ
won his second straight start on Tuesday against Chicago, holding the Cubs to
a
run and five hits in six innings. He had tossed six scoreless innings against
Milwaukee his previous time out.

“Happ threw the ball great,” teammate Brett Myers said. “That’s back-to-back
[good] starts for him, and I think he’s back. He and [catcher Chris] Snyder
worked fast, and that keeps Happ’s rhythm going and being able to locate
pitches. He’s throwing the ball really well for us.”

Happ lost to the Dodgers back on April 20 and is 0-2 in four games (three
starts) against them with a 2.70 ERA.

The Dodgers took two of three from the Astros earlier in the year from April
20-22 at Minute Maid Park and have won seven of the last nine matchups.