Dodgers Vs. DBacks Preview: Kershaw Seeks Sweep In Arizona

After an outburst of offense last night, the Dodgers came away with a 9-5 victory in the first of a two-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On Wednesday, the series will finish up in Arizona before the Dodgers head out to San Diego for a three-game set over the weekend against the Padres.

Taking the hill for the Dodgers is ace Clayton Kershaw. The southpaw continues to defy the odds with his spectacular 2014 campaign, as he will look to lead the Dodgers against a division rival. On the season, the 26-year-old is 15-3 with a 1.82 ERA in 21 starts. In his last outing, Kershaw pitched eight innings of one-run ball and was lifted by a two-run home run via Justin Turner to give him the win.

In his career, the Texas native is 9-7 with a 2.61 ERA against the Diamondbacks in 20 starts. Many will note that the six-year veteran’s worst start of the season came against the Diamondbacks, but the two-time Cy Young winner has turned it around. This season, if you take out the start where he allowed seven earned runs, Kershaw is 2-0 against the division rival. In 13.2 innings, he allowed just 13 hits, two earned runs, and two walks.

The Diamondbacks counter Kershaw with Wade Miley, a left-handed pitcher who is the only pitcher in the starting rotation still left from the Opening Day roster. In 27 starts, the Louisiana native is 7-9 with a 4.29 ERA. The team has lost Miley’s last four starts as he will look to break the streak against a team that has beaten him up a bit.

In 11 career starts, the 27-year-old is 3-4 with a 4.13 ERA; however, the Dodgers have dominated the third-year veteran this season. In 2014, he is 0-3 and has allowed 20 hits and 13 runs in 22 innings pitched. Miley’s control issue have been prominent as he has allowed 13 walks and five home runs in those four starts.

With a left-handed pitcher on the mound, Scott Van Slyke will start in left field over Carl Crawford. Justin Turner moves from third base to first to give Adrian Gonzalez a day off. Miguel Rojas replaces Turner at third.

Dodgers Lineup:

2B: Gordon

CF: Puig

RF: Kemp

SS: Ramirez

LF: Van Slyke

1B: Turner

C: Ellis

3B: Rojas

P: Kershaw

D-backs Lineup:

CF: Inciarte

3B: Pennington

2B: Hill

LF: Trumbo

RF: Marte

1B: Pacheco

C: Gosewisch

SS: Gregorius

P: Miley

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