The Los Angeles Dodgers fought back from a 7-1 deficit Sunday afternoon but ultimately lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 12 innings and finished 5-5 on their longest road trip of the season.
Los Angeles now begins their final homestand of the year, kicking things off with a key three-game series against the rival San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers enter Monday’s series opener with a five-game lead over the Giants in the National League West.
Both teams aligned their respective rotation so that the top starters take the mound during the three-game set. As such, Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner duel for the third time this season.
Kershaw is 1-0 with 2.40 ERA, and the Dodgers have won both games. In two starts since returning from a back injury, Kershaw has given up six hits and two runs while striking out 10 in eight innings of work.
He threw five shutout innings with five strikeouts against the New York Yankees. Overall this season, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is 11-3 with a 1.81 ERA, 1.70 FIP and 0.73 WHIP.
Kershaw has 155 strikeouts to just nine walks over 129 innings pitched . In 34 career games (33 starts) against San Francisco, Kershaw is 18-7 with a 1.62 ERA.
In 31 starts this season Bumgarner is 14-9 with a 2.66 ERA, 3.19 FIP and 1.05 WHIP. He has struggled against Los Angeles this season, as he is 0-2 with a 5.62 ERA in three starts.
Kiké Hernandez has had plenty of success off Bumgarner in his career, going 11-for-19 with three home runs. Hernandez starts in center field and bats second Monday night.
Justin Turner and Adrian Gonzalez have both faced Bumgarner extensively in their careers. Turner is 11-for-41 (.268 batting average) with three home runs and Gonzalez is 10-for-50 (.200).
The only Giants player with a bit of success off Kershaw is left fielder Angel Pagan, who is 18-for-63 (.286). Buster Posey is 19-for-85 (.224) with a pair of home runs, and Hunter Pence is 6-for-61 (.098).
The Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the division is nine heading into the series.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Howie Kendrick
CF: Kike Hernandez
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Yasiel Puig
C: Yasmani Grandal
2B: Chase Utley
P: Clayton Kershaw
Giants lineup:
3B: Eduardo Nunez
LF: Angel Pagan
C: Buster Posey
RF: Hunter Pence
CF: Gorkys Hernandez
SS: Brandon Crawford
1B: Brandon Belt
P: Madison Bumgarner
2B: Kelby Tomlinson
