Can Kershaw Get Dodgers Back on Track?

Cardinals @ Dodgers
7:10 pm
Game 3

Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 1.37 ERA), one of the few bright spots on the Dodgers struggling roster, will go for his third win of the year tonight at Dodger Stadium. Clayton has racked up 24 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched, and has become a dominant force to be reckoned with even at his young age. Kersh is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his career against the Cardinals in 6 starts. He will go up against Kyle McClellan (1-0, 2.25 ERA), who has stepped up to join the Cardinals starting rotation after Adam Wainwright was lost in Spring Training and had to undergo elbow surgery. He has started twice, and last outing against the Diamondbacks recorded his first win.

The Dodgers are now two games below .500, and will be pressing to fight off a hot hitting St. Louis club who have slugged at least 14 hits in each of their last 5 games. Albert Pujols is 6-12 against Kershaw, and Matt Holliday is 5-14 against him in his career.

The Dodgers are mired in 4th place in the NL West, just above last place Arizona. The Dodgers need to find some offense somewhere with Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier being the exception.

I'm not going to rehash the nightmare of a game last night. Obviously the Dodgers are in no shape to take on the offense machines of clubs like the Rockies or Cardinals at this time. I'm not even going to mention the "C" word. He's my new stomach-churning bumpen king taking over from George Sherrill's departure. I'm just longing for Padilla's swift return.

Lineup:

Gwynn 7
Blake 5
Ethier 9
Kemp 8
Uribe 6
Loney 3
Barajas 2
Miles 4
Kershaw 1

More bad news comes out for the Dodgers this afternoon. Hong-Chih Kuo is placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive from 4/14 for a lower back strain. Ramon Troncoso is called up in his place. So now we know that "location issues"=injury.

Carroll gets the night off, while Uribe takes over at shortstop tonight. Miles will be at second base.

Let's try to be positive Dodger fans! Go Blue:)