San Francisco @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 1, 2013 ) San Francisco 0, LA Dodgers 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be hard-pressed to match the individual effort of Clayton Kershaw in the season opener, but they’ll give it a try when they host the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in the middle game of the three-game series. Kershaw threw a four-hitter and clocked his first major league home run in Monday’s 4-0 victory, becoming the first pitcher since Bob Lemon in 1953 to record both feats in the same opening-day game. The Dodgers also have to be pleased with lead-off hitter Carl Crawford, who had two hits in his debut with the club.

The Giants are hoping to avoid starting 0-2 for the third consecutive season. They saw some positive signs in the opener, namely two hits from switch-hitting third-baseman Pablo Sandoval, who has been bothered by a sore right elbow. Sandoval is able to swing the bat pain free from the right side, so he’s expected to be in the lineup against Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. San Francisco will need better production from the middle and bottom of the batting order. The No. 4 through No. 9 spots combined to go 0-for-18 against Kershaw and didn’t reach base.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (2012: NR) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (16-11, 3.37 ERA)

The Dodgers spent a small fortune to bring Ryu over from South Korea in the off-season and the 26-year-old rookie hasn’t disappointed. He retired the last 23 batters he faced in spring training and 29-of-30, earning the opportunity to make his major-league debut against the defending World Series champions in the second game. Ryu, 26, has already set goals of finishing with an ERA in the 2.00s and winning National League Rookie of the Year. The Dodgers are hoping he follows in the footsteps of past L.A. rookie pitching sensations Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Hideo Nomo (1995).

Bumgarner has been nearly as tough at Dodger Stadium as he has been in the World Series. The 23-year-old from Hickory, N.C., is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA all-time at Chavez Ravine. In his most recent start in L.A., he threw eight shutout innings and struck out 10 in a 2-1 victory Aug. 20, outdueling Kershaw and moving the Giants ahead of the Dodgers for good in the National League West standings. Bumgarner has already made a name for himself as a clutch postseason pitcher. He’s the fifth pitcher in MLB history to begin his career with 15 scoreless World Series innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers C A.J. Ellis, a career .265 hitter, is batting .328 in 67 at-bats against the Giants after going 0-for-4 on Monday.

2. Dodgers CF Matt Kemp entered the season with the all-time fifth-highest batting in April since 1921 (.343). He went 0-for-3 in the opener with a walk and run scored.

3. Giants LF Andres Torres started the season opener over Gregor Blanco, who was in left field for the World Series run last fall, going 4-for-11 in the final three games of the sweep.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Giants 1