Los Angeles @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2011 ) San Diego 2, LA Dodgers 4
THE STORY: Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp would prefer to be in playoff contention, but both players are still in the running for the National League’s top personal honors. They'll look to improve their resumes as the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series against the host San Diego Padres on Friday. San Diego has lost eight of its previous nine games against the Dodgers, who won their last home game of the season Thursday over the fading San Francisco Giants.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket, Channel 4SD
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Ted Lilly (10-14, 4.27 ERA) at Padres LH Wade LeBlanc (4-5, 5.07 ERA).
Lilly reached double digits in wins for the ninth consecutive season when he held the Pittsburgh Pirates to one run over seven innings last Saturday. He is 9-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 16 career games - 15 starts - against the Padres. Lilly is 3-1 against San Diego this season with a 2.33 ERA in five starts.
LeBlanc is 1-5 with a 5.21 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers. The Padres are 5-7 in his 12 starts this season. He gave up one run over six innings in a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday.
ABOUT THE DODGERS (78-77): For a team out of the postseason hunt, the Dodgers should receive plenty of attention this weekend. Kershaw is scheduled to make his final start of the season on Sunday, and a strong performance could move him ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies duo of Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as well as Arizona's Ian Kennedy for the National League Cy Young Award. Many observers believe Kershaw already clinched the award when he won his 20th game earlier this week against Tim Lincecum and the Giants. When Kershaw isn’t pitching, all eyes will be on Kemp, who is making a strong bid to become the National League’s first Triple Crown winner since the Cardinals’ Ducky Medwick in 1937. Entering Friday’s action, Kemp leads the league in RBIs with 118 and his 36 home runs are one behind Albert Pujols. Kemp’s .326 batting average is well within striking distance of Ryan Braun’s league-leading .330 mark.
ABOUT THE PADRES (68-88): Closer Heath Bell reached the 40-save mark for the third straight season when he earned his third save in as many days on Wednesday. Bell has saves in 56 percent of the Padres wins over the past three seasons, and there’s a chance he’ll return next season if he accepts arbitration or signs a new deal. Third baseman Chase Headley returned to the Padres’ starting lineup Wednesday after being out since Aug. 7 with a fractured finger. While Headley was out, replacements Logan Forsythe (knee) and James Darnell (shoulder) both landed on the disabled list. First baseman Jesus Guzman has missed three consecutive starts because of a sore neck, but he could return for Friday’s series opener. Rookie Anthony Rizzo started in Guzman’s place Wednesday and snapped an 0-for-17 skid by going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
FINAL PITCH: Tommy Lasorda celebrated his 84th birthday Thursday in the Dodgers’ dugout as an honorary coach.