Though runs were at a premium in Friday’s series opener at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers found their way back into the win column with a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins.
The Dodgers improved to a National League-best 65-35 and continue to boast a comfortable 14-game lead over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West standings. The Marlins, at the opposite end of the spectrum, sunk to an NL-worst 36-59 and trail the first-place Atlanta Braves by 21 games in the NL East.
Looking to propel the Dodgers to a series win is Clayton Kershaw, who makes his 16th start of the season. He has been excellent in the month of July, compiling a 1-0 record with a minuscule 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over 13 innings pitched (two games).
Kershaw was strong in his first start coming out of the All-Star break against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing just one run on four hits with seven strikeouts across six innings.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner enters with an overall 8-2 record, 3.00 ERA, 3.63 FIP and 1.05 WHIP in 105 innings pitched this season. He has particularly thrived at Dodger Stadium, accumulating a perfect 6-0 record, 2.52 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 60.2 innings of work (nine starts).
In his career against the Marlins, Kershaw is 5-5 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 71.2 innings pitched (11 starts). The 31-year-old, however, is 0-4 against Miami in his last four starts and has not recorded a victory against them since the 2013 season.
The Marlins counter with 2019 All-Star Sandy Alcantara, who looks to bounce back from a rough outing against the New York Mets on July 14. The right-hander was tabbed with a loss after yielding 12 baserunners and four runs in six innings of work.
Alcantara has enjoyed varying degrees of success this season, pitching to a 4-9 record, 3.94 ERA, 4.65 FIP and 1.43 WHIP in 107.1 innings (18 starts). He has been more successful on the road, posting a 3.60 ERA in comparison to his 4.19 ERA at home.
Saturday’s start marks Alcantara’s first career appearance against the Dodgers. He will face a lineup that includes Max Muncy, who makes his first start of the series, and does so at second base.
Prior to first pitch the Dodgers are holding an on-field ceremony to officially induct Fernando Valenzuela into the Legends of Dodger Baseball. It will include the unveiling of a plaque that will then be installed on the top deck at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers lineup:
1B: Joc Pederson
LF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Max Muncy
CF: A.J. Pollock
SS: Corey Seager
C: Austin Barnes
P: Clayton Kershaw
