The Los Angeles Dodgers went 16-4 over their stretch of 20 games in 20 days, and now begin a six-game homestand that leads into the All-Star break. First up is a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The last time the Dodgers faced a second-place team in the National League West standings they swept the Colorado Rockies in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Arizona enters play on Tuesday trailing Los Angeles by 2.5 games.
In order to make headway in the standings they’ll need to solve Clayton Kershaw, who historically has been dominant in July throughout much of his career.
Kershaw is a lifetime 25-6 with a 1.78 ERA in 40 July starts. Excluding last year when he didn’t pitch because of a back injury, Kershaw is 11-1 with a 0.96 ERA and 0.65 WHIP the last four Julys.
Opponents have hit just .163 during that stretch, and the three-time Cy Young Award winner has amassed 131 strikeouts against eight walks in 122 innings pitched. Kershaw takes the mound with an overall 12-2 mark and 2.32 ERA and 0.91 WHIP this season.
Kershaw has earned the victory in eight of his past 11 starts, with the Dodgers winning each of the games. He threw 8.1 innings and allowed one run against the Diamondbacks on April 14 and was on track for a complete-game shutout that slipped away because of a wild pitch.
Kershaw has produced back-to-back shutouts, and his 75 career starts without an earned run allowed are most among active pitchers and most since at least 1913 by pitcher under 30 years old.
The Diamondbacks see the return of A.J. Pollock, who was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday. Pollock landed on the DL on May 15 with a groin strain.
Patrick Corbin starts opposite Kershaw in what’s his second time facing the Dodgers this season. Corbin allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings and suffered the loss at Dodger Stadium on April 15.
He’s 6-7 with a 4.76 ERA this year, and has struggled on the road the to tune of a 1-5 record and 7.84 ERA in six starts.
Logan Forsythe is a career 5-for-11 with one double off Corbin. Justin Turner is 9-for-24 with two doubles and one home run, and Kiké Hernandez and Yasiel Puig have combined to hit four doubles and one homer off the southpaw.
Paul Goldschmidt is bating .313 with a .950 on-base plus slugging percentage, 24 doubles, 25 home runs and 84 RBI in 102 career games against the Dodgers.
Since June 1, the Dodgers (22-8) and Diamondbacks (19-9) have the best records in the Majors. Arizona has won four of seven head-to-head meetings with the Dodgers thus far in 2017.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
LF: Chris Taylor
CF: Kiké Hernandez
C: Yasmani Granal
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Clayton Kershaw
Diamondbacks lineup:
CF: A.J. Pollock
RF: David Peralta
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
SS: Chris Owings
2B: Brandon Drury
C: Chris Iannetta
LF: Daniel Descalso
3B: Ketel Marte
P: Patrick Corbin
