Los Angeles @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 26, 2014 ) LA Dodgers 9, Arizona 5

The injury bug has hit Los Angeles' starting rotation hard, but Clayton Kershaw has been the one constant and he'll try for his 16th victory when the Dodgers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday in the finale of a two-game series. With two starters (Josh Beckett, Hyun-Jin Ryu) on the disabled list and another (Zack Greinke) battling an elbow issue, Kershaw is making a case to become the first pitcher to win the National League MVP award since Bob Gibson in 1968. "Clayton's 15-3. That's significant production," former Dodger right-hander and 1956 NL MVP Don Newcombe told mlb.com. "You don't care what position he plays as long as he produces."

Los Angeles prevailed 9-5 on Tuesday - its fifth win in seven games - to remain five games ahead of San Francisco in the National League West. The Dodgers improved their major league-best road record to 41-26 on the strength of a 14-hit attack - 13 singles and Matt Kemp's two-run homer - and a six-run fourth inning that included five straight singles. Wade Miley, winless in his last four starts, takes the ball for Arizona, which has lost 11 of 15 meetings with Los Angeles this season.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (15-3, 1.82 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (7-9, 4.29)

Kershaw, whose ERA leads the majors, bounced back from his first loss since May 28 by striking out 10 while allowing one run and three hits in eight innings of a 2-1 victory over San Diego on Thursday on the strength of Justin Turner's two-run homer in the eighth. The 26-year-old Texan is 12-1 with a 1.30 ERA in his last 15 turns, and has struck out 184 while walking 21 in 153 1/3 innings this season. Kershaw, who is 8-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 10 road starts, lost his last outing in Arizona 18-7 on May 17 when he allowed a season-high seven runs in 1 2/3 frames but is 9-7 with a 2.61 ERA in 20 turns against the Diamondbacks.

Miley received a no-decision after yielding eight hits and six walks in 6 2/3 shutout innings of Arizona's 1-0 loss at Washington on Thursday and has a 1.83 ERA in his last three turns. The 27-year-old Louisiana native is 2-6 with a 6.20 ERA in 13 starts at home. Miley is 3-4 with a 4.13 ERA in 12 games against Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez (93), Andre Ethier (83) and Kemp (76) have recorded the most RBIs against the Diamondbacks among active players.

2. Arizona is an NL-worst 27-41 as the home team - 27-39 at Chase Field and 0-2 in Australia.

3. Los Angeles on Tuesday benefited from overturned calls on back-to-back plays in the fourth inning, including one which revealed Diamondbacks C Miguel Montero tagged Carl Crawford with his glove while holding the ball in his bare hand.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 2, Diamondbacks 1