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Kershaw, Sale square off in Dodgers-White Sox tilt

Jun 15, 2012 - 2:52 PM (Sports Network) - A terrific pitching matchup is on tap tonight at Dodger Stadium, as Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game interleague set versus Chris Sale and the Chicago White Sox..

Kershaw won for the first time in three starts on Saturday in Seattle, as he held the Mariners to three runs and four hits in seven innings. He also struck out a season-high 12 batters and improved to 5-3 on the season to go along with a 2.65 ERA.

"I wish my mistakes didn't go over the fence right now and cost me three runs," said Kershaw, who has yielded three homers - each with at least one man on base - over his last four starts. "I don't care about giving up home runs, but they just can't be three-run homers."

Kershaw, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, lost his only other start to the White Sox, giving up two runs and six hits with four walks in only four innings.

Sale, meanwhile, has been the American League's best pitcher over the last month, winning his last five starts, while surrendering only four runs in that time (0.99 ERA). He's also struck out 43 batters in his last 36 1/3 innings, including a career-high 15 strikeouts on May 28.

He was again terrific on Saturday against Houston, as he scattered four hits over eight scoreless innings to run his record to 8-2, while lowering his ERA to 2.05.

"Any time he pitches, whether you won or lost (the day before), you feel like you're going to win his game," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said after Sale's last start. "He just continues to go out and be consistent."

This will be his first-ever start against the Dodgers, who enter this tilt following a rare series loss to the Angels.

In addition to this contest featuring two of the best young left-handers in the game, it's also a battle between division leaders. Although it has lost two in a row, the White Sox sit atop the American League Central, 1 1/2 games in front of the Cleveland Indians, while the Dodgers maintain a four-game edge on the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

Chicago took two of three from the Dodgers last season and is 11-4 in the all-time matchup.