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Kuroda, Dodgers eye sweep in St. Louis

Aug 24, 2011 - 2:55 PM (Sports Network) - Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda can pitch the Los Angeles Dodgers to a series sweep today when they return to Busch Stadium to wrap up a three-game series with the host St. Louis Cardinals.

The visitors from California made it two straight on Tuesday night, when Rod Barajas finished 3-for-5, hit a pair of homers and knocked in four runs, as Los Angeles ripped St. Louis, 13-2.

Matt Kemp clubbed a three-run shot and Aaron Miles added a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who won for the fourth time in six games thanks to their first double-digit performance since June 27 at Minnesota.

Justin Sellers and Jamey Carroll each contributed three hits for Los Angeles.

Clayton Kershaw (16-5) turned in six scoreless innings, fanning eight and walking two while scattering six hits.

The left-hander won for the eighth time in his last nine starts and turned in consecutive scoreless outings for the first time all season. He's tied with Ian Kennedy of Arizona for the NL lead in wins.

Ryan Theriot and Jon Jay drove in late runs for the Cardinals, who have lost six of their last eight and tumbled 10 games behind the first-place Brewers in the NL Central. Milwaukee pounded Pittsburgh, 11-4, earlier Tuesday.

Kyle Lohse (11-8) departed after three innings, charged in defeat for eight hits and a season-high eight runs.

Kuroda, who turned 36 earlier this year, has won two straight decisions and three of four starts since a four-start skid between July 6 and 27. He's 3-1 in August, including an 8-2 win at Colorado on Aug. 19, in which he allowed two runs in six innings.

He is winless in four career starts against St. Louis, going 0-2 with a 3.00 earned run average while walking two batters and striking out 22 in 24 innings.

The most recent meeting came April 14 in Los Angeles, when the Cardinals touched him for 10 hits and five earned runs in five innings of a 9-5 triumph.

The Dodgers are 4-6 in his last 10 starts.

Third-year righty Jaime Garcia goes for the Cardinals while seeking his first win since July 23.

The 25-year-old reached 10 wins for the second straight season with a 9-1 victory at Pittsburgh, but is 0-2 in five starts since while his ERA has swelled from 3.01 to 3.45.

He gave up nine hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings while getting a no- decision in his last start, a 5-4 St. Louis loss to the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 19.

Garcia is 2-0 lifetime against the Dodgers in three meetings.

The Cardinals have split their six meetings from the Dodgers this season and have won seven of their last 10 in the series.