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Preview: Clayton Kershaw Can Pitch Dodgers Into Tie With Diamondbacks Atop NL West Standings

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a thrilling win thanks to late home runs by Kiké Hernandez and Justin Turner, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in position to pull into a tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West standings by the end of the night.

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Additionally, Friday’s victory put the Dodgers a half-game ahead of the Colorado Rockies, who now are in third place in the NL West.

Having split the first two games of the series, the Dodgers hand the ball to Clayton Kershaw. He’s pitched particularly well since the All-Star break, going 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA over seven starts.

Kershaw hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any start during that stretch and held opponents to a .214/.231/.308 batting line while surrendering just three home runs.

Overall this season, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is 6-5 with a 2.39 ERA, 2.84 FIP and 0.99 WHIP. Kershaw is coming off eight innings and a no-decision against the San Diego Padres, and takes the mound on an extra day of rest.

He’s opposed by a southpaw in Patrick Corbin, who similarly is in the midst of his own impressive stretch. Corbin has strung together five consecutive quality starts, going 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA over that span.

Corbin is 1-0 with a 0.98 ERA and held the Dodgers to a .118 batting average in three starts this season. He’s collected 24 strikeouts against eight walks across 18.1 innings pitched in those games.

Newly-acquired David Freese makes his Dodgers debut by starting at first base and hitting fifth in the lineup. Freese is batting .284/.344/.413 with five doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI over 122 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season.

After an 0-for-4 effort with four strikeouts in the series opener, Chris Taylor sits for a second straight night.

Dodgers lineup:

2B: Brian Dozier
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Manny Machado
LF: Matt Kemp
1B: David Freese
CF: Kiké Hernandez
RF: Yasiel Puig
C: Austin Barnes
P: Clayton Kershaw

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com