New York @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2012 ) NY Mets 5, LA Dodgers 0

Wins have been hard to come by of late for the Los Angeles Dodgers but Clayton Kershaw has never had an issue leaving the field victoriously against the New York Mets. Kershaw is 4-0 with a 1.39 ERA in five career starts against the visiting Mets entering Sunday’s finale of a four-game series. The Mets have won the first three games of the series to extend the Dodgers’ longest skid of the season to seven games.

Los Angeles has been shut out in five of its last six losses and has tallied only two runs over the last 57 innings. The Dodgers are attempting to trade for Houston’s Carlos Lee to boost their struggling offense and Lee said Saturday he won’t take long to decide whether he’ll approve a deal. The veteran has a no-trade clause in his contract that ends after this season. New York has won four straight games to pull 2 1/2 games within the first-place Washington Nationals in the National League East. Ike Davis hit a three-run homer during Saturday’s 5-0 win.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Dillon Gee (5-6, 4.42 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (5-4, 2.74)

Gee has lost three of his last four starts. He fell to the Chicago Cubs in his last outing when he allowed four runs and nine hits. Gee is 3-2 with a 4.43 ERA in six road starts and is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two career outings against Los Angeles.

Kershaw has only one victory over his last seven starts. He gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings as the Dodgers were blanked by the San Francisco Giants in his last outing. Kershaw is 3-3 with a 2.71 ERA in nine home starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Davis has 24 RBIs in June after totaling only 21 over the season’s first two months.

2. Los Angeles has only 14 hits in the series and its only runs came when during a two-run fourth inning Thursday.

3. Mets outfielder Scott Hairston is batting .412 in 17 career at-bats against Kershaw.