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Kershaw aims for better effort in Arizona

Apr 11, 2015 - 11:04 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - Clayton Kershaw hopes for a better effort on Saturday than he put forth on Opening Day when the Los Angeles Dodgers continue a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

The National League's reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winner was not particularly sharp on Monday against the San Diego Padres, as he allowed three runs and six hits in six innings and was unable to hold a lead. He also struck out nine and walked a pair, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 6-3 win.

"That was a sigh of relief for me. They gave me a lead and I wasn't able to hold it," Kershaw said of Jimmy Rollins' go-ahead home run that gave the Dodgers the win.

Kershaw has faced the D-backs 21 times and is 10-7 against them with a 2.45 ERA.

Arizona, meanwhile, will turn to promising right-hander Archie Bradley, who will be making his major league debut. Bradley, the team's top pitching prospect and No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, pitched to a 1.61 ERA in six appearances this spring and was so impressive that the team traded Trevor Cahill to make room in the rotation for him.

He went 3-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 83 innings across two levels in the minors last season.

Arizona drew first blood on Friday when Ender Inciarte's RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Diamondbacks past Los Angeles, 4-3

Inciarte finished 2-of-5 with one run scored, while Paul Goldschmidt powered the Diamondbacks' offense by going 3-of-4 at the plate, including his first home run of the season.

Chase Anderson received a no-decision after surrendering three earned runs and five hits while striking out six over five innings of work. Oliver Perez (1-0) recorded his first win of the campaign after holding the Dodgers scoreless in the top of the 10th inning.

Yasmani Grandal homered for the Dodgers, while Jimmy Rollins went 1-for-5 with two RBI.

Cliff Pennington put himself on base with a pinch-hit walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then stole third base to set up Inciarte's heroics.

"That hurt us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Pennington's steal.

J.P. Howell (0-1) was tagged with the loss after he recorded just one out on four batters in extra innings. Brett Anderson pitched well en route to a no- decision, registering a quality start with five hits and three runs allowed over six innings.

The Dodgers won 15 of 19 games with the D-backs last season, including the last five.