Cincinnati @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2016 ) Cincinnati 7, LA Dodgers 6

It's a good thing the Los Angeles Dodgers have their dominant ace on the mound when they begin a three-game series with the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Monday. The Dodgers used nine pitchers in Sunday's 17-inning, 9-5 victory at San Diego and will look for some length out of Clayton Kershaw, who has thrown two complete games this month.

Kershaw actually appeared as a pinch-hitter in the 15th inning Sunday but was not involved in the four-run rally that helped Los Angeles snap its four-game losing streak. Yasiel Puig recorded three hits and a pair of RBIs in the win and has driven in five runs in his last three games, showing signs of breaking out of a season-long slump. The Reds have dropped a season-high seven straight contests after being swept by Seattle over the weekend. They've managed nine runs in their last four games while the pitching staff has surrendered 60 during the skid.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Brandon Finnegan (1-2, 4.44 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (6-1, 1.67)

Since opening the season 1-0 with a 2.04 ERA in his first three starts, Finnegan has allowed at least three runs in six consecutive outings - each of them losses for Cincinnati. He has failed to get through six innings over his last three appearances, falling one out shy while giving up four runs (three earned) in a no-decision against Cleveland on Wednesday. The 23-year-old, who owns a 3.27 ERA in four road starts, never has faced the Dodgers.

Kershaw entered Sunday leading the NL in shutouts (two), innings (70), strikeouts (88), WHIP (0.70) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (22.0). He has a remarkable 48 strikeouts against one walk in four starts this month while posting a 0.82 ERA. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who has recorded a 2.90 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds, enters with a 2.05 mark in 132 lifetime appearances at Dodger Stadium.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez went 0-for-11 with 10 strikeouts in the series with Seattle.

2. Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez is batting .171 at home and .373 on the road.

3. Cincinnati scored a total of 12 runs in dropping the final six games of the 2015 season series.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Reds 1