The Los Angeles Dodgers look to start a new winning streak as they continue their three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Monday’s loss dropped L.A. to 3-5 against San Diego this season.
Tuesday’s matchup features a pitchers’ duel between two of the best left-handed starters in Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell. Kershaw is coming off a tough-luck loss against the Philadelphia Phillies in which he allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings pitched.
“They made me work. That’s probably the biggest takeaway,” Kershaw said after the game. “The at-bat quality for those guys was really good, so you have to give them a lot of credit. They made me grind, they got my pitch count up, fouled off a lot of pitches.”
The loss dropped Kershaw to 8-6 with a 3.36 ERA, 2.75 FIP and 1.01 WHIP in 88.1 innings this season (15 starts). Two of those outings were against the Padres, to which he gave up three runs over 13 innings of work with 15 strikeouts.
Kershaw owns a lifetime 22-8 record, 2.04 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 42 starts against the Padres. He’s opposed by Blake Snell, who struggled mightily in his last start against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
In just 3.1 innings pitched, Snell was charged with seven runs on nine hits and walked more batters (two) than strikeouts (one). He enters Tuesday’s start against the Dodgers with a 2-3 record, 5.72 ERA, 4.37 FIP and 1.57 WHIP in 61.1 innings (14 games).
Snell has faced the Dodgers twice this season, and in those outings, allowed four runs and nine hits over 10.1 innings with 14 strikeouts against four walks. He has posted a 2.92 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in three career starts against L.A.
The Dodgers reinstated Max Muncy from the 10-day injured list and optioned Zach Reks back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Cody Bellinger should be activated Wednesday.
Dodgers lineup
CF: Mookie Betts
SS: Chris Taylor
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Albert Pujols
C: Will Smith
2B: Max Muncy
LF: AJ Pollock
RF: Steven Souza Jr.
P: Clayton Kershaw
Padres lineup
LF: Tommy Pham
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
2B: Jake Cronenworth
3B: Manny Machado
RF: Wil Myers
1B: Eric Hosmer
CF: Trent Grisham
C: Webster Rivas
P: Blake Snell
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