The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their homestand with a win and now can take the series from the St. Louis Cardinals with Clayton Kershaw getting the ball in the middle game at Dodger Stadium.
A collectively strong showing from both the pitching staff and Dodgers offense put an end to their two-game losing streak. The Dodgers’ 7-3 victory improved their record to 14-13 on the season and 7-6 when at home.
Kershaw gets the ball for his sixth start of the year, coming in with a 4-1 record and 2.32 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and .193 batting average against. The veteran left-hander is having another strong showing in his 16th Major League season.
In his most recent outing against the Chicago Cubs, Kershaw fought off some early trouble to put in six solid innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with half a dozen strikeouts.
He’s been able to make it through the sixth inning in every start this season, working above the 90-pitch mark in all but one.
Kershaw faces a Cardinals lineup with two former members of the National League West in Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. Arenado has a career .313 batting average with five homers and 12 RBI against Kershaw, but Goldschmidt is hitting just .217 lifetime with three home runs and nine RBI.
The duo has given Kershaw fits in the past, but as a whole, the Cardinals have feasted on lefties in 2023, posting an MLB-best .923 combined on-base plus slugging percentage.
The Cardinals send fellow left-hander Jordan Montgomery to the mound for the sixth start of the 2023. Montgomery is 2-3 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. He’s is coming off a six-inning shutout showing against the San Francisco Giants, notching six strikeouts and one walk.
Last season against the Dodgers on September 24, Montgomery endured one of his worst outings of the year, allowing six earned runs on seven hits, three via the home run.
Dodgers rookie Miguel Vargas tallied his first career homer in that game on a two-run shot, and after hitting his first one of the season on Friday, perhaps he can find a hanger and put make it two career long balls off of the lefty.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
DH: Will Smith
SS: Chris Taylor
3B: Max Muncy
2B: Miguel Vargas
CF: James Outman
LF: Trayce Thompson
C: Austin Barnes
Cardinals lineup
2B: Tommy Edman
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
3B: Nolan Arenado
DH: Willson Contreras
CF: Dylan Carlson
LF: Tyler O’Neill
SS: Paul DeJong
C: Andrew Knizner
RF: Lars Nootbaar
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