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Dodgers, Park try to turn it around

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Times Staff Writer

After losing six of their last eight games against Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox, the Dodgers will close out this season’s interleague schedule with a three-game set against the Angels, beginning tonight at Dodger Stadium.

Right-hander Chan Ho Park, normally a long reliever, gets his third start of the season for the Dodgers, who have been made +110 underdogs by oddsmakers for tonight’s game.

Park, who is taking Hiroki Kuroda’s spot in the Dodgers’ pitching rotation, has a 2-2 record and a 2.83 earned-run average in 21 appearances.

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For the Dodgers, results have been positive when Park takes the mound as a starter. In his last six starts, the Dodgers are 5-1 and in Park’s last five starts against a team with a winning record, the Dodgers are 5-0, including a 6-3 victory over the Angels last month.

Although Park did not get a decision against the Angels, he pitched well, giving up three hits and one earned run in four innings.

The Angels, who are 10-2 in their last 12 road games, will turn to reliable left-hander Joe Saunders (11-3, 3.03 ERA) and have been made -120 favorites.

In Saunders’ 15 starts this season, the Angels are 12-3, which includes a 4-2 victory over the Dodgers on May 16. In that game, Saunders gave up two runs, five hits and walked two in 7 1/3 innings to gain the victory.

Here are a couple of trends entering tonight’s game: The Angels are 14-3 when Saunders has started the first game of a series and 4-0 in Saunders’ last four interleague starts. The Dodgers are 0-8 in their last eight games against a left-handed starter and 2-9 against a team from the American League West.

Boxing

Oddsmakers have made Manny Pacquiao, who has won his last seven fights, an overwhelming favorite against David Diaz for Saturday’s World Boxing Council lightweight title fight at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas.

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According to Sportsbetting.com, Pacquiao is listed at -500 to defeat Diaz, who is listed at +340.

Pacquiao, who has a 46-3-2 record with 34 knockouts, is moving up in weight and is seeking his fifth championship belt to go with titles he won at flyweight, super bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight.

Diaz, 34-1-1 with 17 knockouts, has won his last five fights, including successful title defenses against Erik Morales and Ramon Montano.

Soccer

Germany and Spain, the two semifinal favorites of Euro 2008, will meet in Sunday’s championship with oddsmakers listing Spain as the -180 favorite, according to Bodoglife.com. Germany is listed at +140.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com

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