The Los Angeles Dodgers are 6-1 on their current homestand and hand the ball to Clayton Kershaw with a chance to guarantee a series win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kershaw is coming off a season-high 11 strikeouts, but he was not pleased with allowing the Miami Marlins to climb back into the game after the Dodgers jumped out to a lead. “Not a whole lot of positives,” he said after the win.
“When your team gives you that much of a lead, you’ve got to do your best to not give up that many runs and save your bullpen as best you can. We had to use our horses tonight, which is not something you want to do when you’re up 8-0 in the third.”
He allowed five runs on six hits over six innings but earned the win to improve to 6-3 on the year. Kershaw’s ERA did rise to 3.20, and it has increased since falling to 2.09 after seven shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds on April 28.
Justin Turner is back in the lineup after a night off. Gavin Lux also starts as he looks to add to what’s been an impressive showing in May. Lux added to his success with a first career grand slam to break Tuesday’s game open.
“Gavin has freed himself to basically be himself on a baseball field. What that means is he’s not afraid to make mistakes,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“He’s just playing more relaxed, the focus is obviously still there, but he’s just letting his ability kind of take over. The results obviously have been very good. You look at what he’s done this month, he’s played as well as anybody on both sides of the baseball.”
The Diamondbacks announced Matt Peacock would make a second consecutive start after opening the season with eight relief appearances. The right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits to the Marlins over five innings last week.
Arizona reinstated Ketel Marte, who had been out since April 7 because of a right hamstring strain.
Dodgers lineup
CF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Yoshi Tsutsugo
2B: Chris Taylor
SS: Gavin Lux
RF: Matt Beaty
C: Austin Barnes
P: Clayton Kershaw
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