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Dodgers-Diamondbacks Preview

Sep 24, 2010 - 7:03 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Los Angeles (74-79) at Arizona (62-91), 9:40 p.m. EDT

It's been a disappointing year for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two more series against the NL West's worst team doesn't necessarily mean the Dodgers will end the season on a positive note.

Los Angeles looks to continue its dominance of this divisional matchup Friday when the Arizona Diamondbacks try to win five straight at home for the first time in two seasons.

After advancing to the NL championship series each of the last two years, the Dodgers (74-79) will have to finish 7-2 to avoid their first sub-.500 season since going 71-91 in 2005.

While Los Angeles is a combined 24-27 versus the other three NL West teams, it has won 10 of 12 against Arizona (62-91) in 2010, including five of six at Chase Field.

The Dodgers, though, have dropped nine of 12 on the road and will face a Diamondbacks team that has won a season high-tying four in a row at home. Kelly Johnson and Stephen Drew each went 3 for 5 with a homer in Wednesday's 10-9 victory over Colorado.

Johnson has a homer and two RBIs in each of his last three games and has gone deep five times in the last eight. Drew is batting .389 with two homers and nine RBIs since Sept. 7.

"Sometimes you are going to have two or three guys that are really hot and right now it is fun to watch when everyone is hitting on all cylinders," Drew said after tying a career high with four RBIs. "Right now it is a fun time."

The Diamondbacks, who have won three straight overall after dropping 12 of 15, last won five straight at Chase Field during a 7-0 stretch from Sept. 15-28, 2008.

Arizona continues its final homestand of the season with Barry Enright (6-5, 3.87 ERA) on the mound. The rookie right-hander is 0-3 with a 12.08 ERA in his last three starts. After giving up eight homers in his first 12 outings, Enright has been tagged for nine during his losing streak.

"Obviously, the home runs the last three games are unacceptable," he said after surrendering a pair of long balls and lasting just 3 2-3 innings in Saturday's 9-6 loss at Pittsburgh. "It's frustrating, and it's going to have to be fixed and fixed soon."

Enright has never faced Los Angeles.

Clayton Kershaw (12-10, 2.98) gets the ball as the Dodgers open their final trip of the season. The left-hander, 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts against Arizona this season, could use another solid performance in this matchup after lasting just four innings in Sunday's 7-6, 11-inning victory over the Rockies.

Coming off his first career complete game, Kershaw yielded six runs - four earned - in his shortest start since May 4.

Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier, who is batting .348 with two homers and four RBIs in his last seven games, is hitting .339 with three home runs and 11 RBIs against the Diamondbacks this season.

These teams conclude their seasons with a three-game set in Los Angeles beginning Oct. 1.