Dodgers vs Giants Pre-Game: Time to Convert

Whelp, I guess things can’t get any worse. Right?

After an 8-0 stomping from the rival Giants, the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw to right the ship in another crucial division matchup. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, the Giants match up with Ryan Vogelsong, whose numbers have actually been better than Kershaw’s this season – especially lately.

While Kershaw posted an impressive eight innings in his last outing, allowing just one run, he had allowed 10 earned runs in his previous three starts. Vogelsong, on the other hand, has allowed more than three runs just once all season, and that was way back on April 26.

The big key for the Dodgers Tuesday night will be hitting with runners in scoring position, something they did terribly on Monday night going 0-for-8.

Los Angeles Dodgers (43-31) at San Francisco Giants (41-33)
Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 2.73) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (6-3, 2.41)
AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
7:15 p.m. PST, June 26, 2012
TV: KCAL
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)
Game-Time Weather: 56 degrees, Mostly Sunny

Giants Projected Starters:
P: Ryan Vogelsong
C: Buster Posey
1B: Brandon Belt
2B: Ryan Theriot
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Pablo Sandoval
LF: Melky Cabrera
CF: Angel Pagan
RF: Gregor Blanco

Key Bench Players: 2B Emmanuel Burriss, OF Nate Schierholtz

For more information on the Giants, check out our pre-series report.

Dodgers Last 10: (3-7): L @ SF, L @ ANA, W @ ANA, L @ ANA, L @ OAK, L @ OAK, L @ OAK, W vs CHW, L vs CHW, W vs CHW.
Giants Last 10: (5-5): W v LA, L @ OAK, W @ OAK, W @ OAK, L @ ANA, L @ ANA, W @ANA, L @ SEA, L @ SEA, W @ SEA.

Fun Facts:

• Having won just three of their last 10 games, the Dodgers division lead has shrunk to just two games.
• Vogelsong and Kershaw have faced off once already this season, with the two pitchers combining to allow just three earned runs in a combined 15.1 innings. In that matchup on May 8, it was the Giants who came out victorious 2-1.
• In 152 at bats against Kershaw, the Giants are hitting just .217 and have just one home run.
• The Dodgers are hitting .337 against Vogelsong in their career, led by Juan Rivera, James Loney and Dee Gordon who are hitting .459 against him in 37 at bats.

Keys to a Dodger Victory:

– Get on base

While the Dodgers have thrived on making their base runners count all season, during their recent slump that hasn’t quite been the case. Despite the absence of one of their chief run producers, guys like James Loney and Juan Rivera need to find ways to bring runners in.

-Put the team on yo’ back
While Nathan Eovaldi had been great all season before last night, the Dodgers could only count on him for so long before expecting a slight regression. With Clayton Kershaw it’s quite the opposite.

In the midst of a slump, the Dodgers need another eight innings, one run performance from the reigning Cy Young to help the team right the ship soon.

Best-Case Prediction: Dodgers 7, Giants 1
Worst-Case: Giants 2, Dodgers 0