Atlanta @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 25, 2015 ) Atlanta 3, LA Dodgers 6

Clayton Kershaw lost just three games in 27 starts last season en route to his third National League Cy Young award in four years, so it stands to reason the Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace is frustrated by losing three of his first nine starts in 2015. Kershaw looks to even his record Tuesday and end a shaky May on an upswing when the Dodgers host the Atlanta Braves.

Kershaw has posted a 5.00 ERA in four starts this month, certainly an anomaly for a hurler who has led the NL in ERA each of the past four years, and the Dodgers have scored two runs or fewer in four of his starts this season. Atlanta opened a 10-game road trip by blowing a 2-1 lead in Monday’s 6-3 loss, its bullpen giving up five runs in two innings. Braves’ relievers had surrendered only six homers in 57 2/3 innings this month before Nick Masset gave up three longballs in the eighth inning. Center fielder Cameron Maybin saw his nine-game hitting streak end but is hitting .294 in his past 21 games.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportsSouth (Atlanta), SportsNet Los Angeles

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (4-1, 3.91 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2-3, 4.32)

Teheran has resembled Atlanta’s ace much more in May than during a shaky April with the 24-year-old posting a 3.04 ERA and averaging 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings this month. He dominated Milwaukee in his best start of the season Thursday, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings – the third time in four May starts Teheran has given up one earned run or fewer. Teheran makes his third career start against Los Angeles, going 0-2 with a 4.11 ERA last season.

Kershaw’s record dropped below .500 with a 4-0 loss Thursday at San Francisco, as he allowed four runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings and was taken deep by Giants’ pitcher Madison Bumgarner. Opponents actually are hitting .233 off Kershaw this month, as opposed to a .267 mark in April, but he has surrendered 15 runs in 27 innings in May. Kershaw is 1-0 with a 2.11 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta, allowing one run in a complete-game victory last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers had scored nine runs and hit .190 in their previous nine games before breaking loose for six runs on 11 hits Monday.

2. Atlanta 3B Pedro Ciriaco, a late addition to Monday’s lineup, snapped a 0-for-11 drought with two hits.

3. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez ended an eight-game RBI drought with a run-scoring groundout in the seventh Monday, giving him 999 career RBIs.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Braves 2