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Dodgers turn to Haren to resume set with Padres

Jul 11, 2014 - 3:02 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Dan Haren will follow another gem by Clayton Kershaw Friday night when he leads the Los Angeles Dodgers into the second test of a four-game series with the San Diego Padres at Chavez Ravine.

Kershaw has won eight straight starts and struck out 11 batters in Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Padres. Kershaw's scoreless innings streak was halted at 41, but he went the distance and gave up three hits for an 11-2 mark.

Haren hopes to be nearly as good as his rotation mate and had the worst outing of the season in Saturday's 8-7 loss at Colorado. He allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings and fell to 8-5 with a 4.06 ERA. Haren, who was unbeaten (3-0) in his previous five starts, struck out eight and walked none.

"Baseball is a humbling game," Haren said. "Five days ago I couldn't have felt any better. Today, I just wore it out there, basically. If I throw the game I've thrown all year, we win. I just couldn't do it."

The right-handed Haren will make his ninth start of the season at Dodger Stadium, where he is 4-1 with a 2.96 ERA. Haren is 1-0 in two meetings with the Padres this season and 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 career games (17 starts) against them.

L.A. is seventh in the major leagues with a 3.34 earned run average.

Los Angeles has won four games in the last seven tries and sits one game ahead of San Francisco for the NL West lead. The club was able to give Kershaw enough support in his third complete game last night on a Scott Van Slyke RBI single in the fourth inning and an Adrian Gonzalez sacrifice fly in the sixth.

"I felt good I was able to throw strikes," said Kershaw, who shook off a game- tying homer to Chase Headley in the sixth. "It starts with my fastball command. Everything else works off of it."

Hanley Ramirez scored on the sac fly and finished with two hits. Van Slyke also had two hits for the Dodgers, who have won 10 of the last 14 games at Chavez Ravine. Ramirez has been injury prone lately and a sore shoulder could keep him out after the All-Star break. Miguel Rojas replaced him Thursday.

The Dodgers activated outfielder Carl Crawford from the disabled list Thursday and he was not in the lineup versus the Padres. Crawford was bothered by an ankle problem and will see limited action compared to years past. He discussed the situation with L.A. manager Don Mattingly.

"I talked to Donnie, and things have been going well for the team right now, so he pretty much said he's going to leave it like it is right now and kind of mix me in whenever he can," said Crawford.

Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Van Slyke have been the usual suspects in the outfield, especially Puig and Kemp.

San Diego has lost three in a row and five of six games after winning five straight, and almost defeated the red-hot Kershaw. Padres young starter Odrisamer Despaigne went toe-to-toe with Kershaw and gave up the two runs in seven innings. He fanned seven and did not issue a walk.

"He pitched great," Padres manager Bud Black said of Despaigne. "His fastball was really effective. He matched the best pitcher in baseball all the way through."

San Diego first baseman Tommy Medica exited after his first at-bat with a groin injury. Black told the team's website he should know more on Medica's injury Friday.

"He's sore," Black said. "We'll know more tomorrow."

Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso is already on the disabled list with a tendinitis in his right wrist.

Jesse Hahn will make the seventh start of his career for the Padres and has been impressive through his first six appearances, going 4-2 with a 2.34 earned run average. Hahn has 41 strikeouts to 12 walks, and had a four-game winning streak stopped in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Giants.

Hahn allowed three runs in seven innings, fanned five and walked two. He will face the Dodgers for the first time and the righty has won both of his starts on the road. San Diego is fourth in the majors with a 3.23 ERA.

The Dodgers are 5-2 against the Padres this season, while San Diego has lost four straight and six of seven games at Dodger Stadium.