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Kershaw shoots for 20th win in clash with Cubs

Sep 19, 2014 - 2:59 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Will the Chicago Cubs be Clayton Kershaw's next victim?

That question will be answered when Kershaw and the Dodgers take on the Cubs Friday in the second test of a four-game series at Wrigley Field.

Kershaw has pretty much wrapped up another Cy Young Award and possibly NL MVP honors with his terrific season. He leads the majors in wins (19), earned run average (1.70), WHIP (0.83) and opponents' batting average (.190), and has won his last five starts with a 1.13 ERA in that time.

The crafty left-hander, who has pitched at least eight innings in seven straight and 11 of the last 13 starts, threw eight innings of two-run ball in a 4-2 victory at San Francisco on Sunday and hasn't given up more than two runs during his winning streak.

"Really, he's on the hunt all the time," manager Don Mattingly said of Kershaw's relentless competitiveness. "We call him the Big Train. He just keeps coming, on the attack. Everything's special with him. He doesn't want to let anybody get on or hit him. He doesn't get tired. That's why he trains so hard. He's never going to come out because he's tired."

Kershaw has won 16 of his past 17 decisions and is 19-3 on the season. His winning percentage of .864 matches that of former Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser back in 1985. The highest winning percentage by a Dodger is .880 by Preacher Roe, who went 22-3 in 1951. Kershaw is trying to win 20 games in fewer than 30 starts

In 12 road starts this season, Kershaw is 10-1 with a 1.64 ERA. He has made five career starts against the Cubs, going 3-2 with a 1.60 ERA.

Los Angeles rallied for an 8-4 win on Thursday and scored five runs during the seventh inning. Yasiel Puig had three hits and an RBI and both Dee Gordon and Juan Uribe finished with two hits and knocked in a run. Hanley Ramirez returned from an elbow issue to record two hits and two runs scored.

Zack Greinke started for Los Angeles and gave up four runs and nine hits in five innings. Paco Rodriguez threw a scoreless sixth inning for the win.

The Dodgers moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants for the NL West lead. The Giants were idle Thursday.

"We're happy to have gained a half-game tonight," Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said.

Los Angeles is 4-3 on a 10-game road trip and can capture a playoff berth with a win and a Milwaukee loss to Pittsburgh.

Chicago had won three in a row and four of five games until last night's loss. Tsuyoshi Wada gave up a run and five hits in five innings in the no-decision, while Neil Ramirez allowed five runs -- one earned -- to suffer the loss.

Jorge Soler had two hits and two RBI, and was one of five players with two hits for the Cubs.

"They're a very good ball club," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of the Dodgers. "It's a good challenge."

The Cubs will also host St. Louis on this 10-game homestand.

Edwin Jackson has the luxury of countering Kershaw on the hill Friday and he is 6-14 with a 6.09 earned run average. Jackson, out for several weeks with a right lat strain, has lost three straight trips to the mound and lasted only 2 2/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to San Francisco on Aug. 20.

Jackson is 1-7 in his past eight decisions and 4-7 in 14 starts at Wrigley Field this season. The right-hander has achieved success in seven career starts against Los Angeles with a 4-2 mark and 3.40 ERA.

Los Angeles dropped two of three to the Cubs at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 1-3.