Astros 3 - 1 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Kershaw toes rubber in opener with Astros

May 25, 2012 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - Clayton Kershaw carries a 22-inning scoreless streak into his start this evening when the Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series with the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium.

Kershaw was absolutely terrific versus the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, as he threw the fourth shutout of his career, tossing a six-hitter to run his record to 4-1 on the year, while lowering his earned run average to 1.90.

The National League's reigning Cy Young Award winner also improved to 14-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his last 20 starts at home, and he hasn't yielded a run since giving up a two-run homer in the second inning of a 2-1 defeat to San Francisco on May 8.

"You know what you're getting with Kersh," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "He's the same consistent guy on and off the field, and he knows he's got a job to do no matter what the circumstances."

Kershaw beat the Astros with seven scoreless innings back on April 21 for his first win of the season and is 3-1 in six starts against them with a 2.61 ERA.

Los Angeles, of course, owns the majors' best record at 30-14 and has won seven of 10 without injured superstar Matt Kemp, who is out with a hamstring injury.

"Things are just going good for us right now," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "We've just got momentum right now. Guys are stepping up. "If we can hang in there and win games, that feeds on itself. But the game is funny, it can go in the other direction, I don't forget that."

One of those players stepping up in Kemp's absence has been outfielder Andre Ethier, who is batting .418 over his last 15 games and remains among the league leaders with 40 RBI.

Hoping to slow him and the Dodgers down tonight will be righty Lucas Harrell, who is 3-3 with a 4.09 ERA. Harrell beat the Texas Rangers on Saturday, holding them to one earned run in 5 2/3 innings.

"This team fights," said Harrell, who has never faced the Dodgers. "I've said it all year. We don't quit and there's a lot of fight in us, and we've got a young guys that are hungry, and we want to win."

Houston comes into this series red-hot after completing a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The Astros have won seven of 11 overall.

The Dodgers took two of three from the Astros earlier in the year from April 20-22 at Minute Maid Park and have won six of the last seven matchups.






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