Cincinnati @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 27, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, LA Dodgers 6

Clayton Kershaw attempts to keep alive an impressive run by Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitching and lift his team to a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The Dodgers have won three in a row for the first time in nearly a month after Zack Greinke shined through 7 2/3 innings of a 6-3 victory Tuesday. Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Josh Beckett - who had a no-hitter - have yielded six runs on 11 hits while striking out 24 in 24 innings during the streak.

Cincinnati is going in the other direction with its first four-game losing streak of the season and continues to struggle without superstar first baseman Joey Votto in the lineup. Since Votto was sidelined with a quadriceps injury earlier this month, the Reds are 4-7 while averaging 2.8 runs. Fellow slugger Jay Bruce is 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts in four games since coming off the disabled list.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (4-3, 5.34 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 3.49)

After producing just one quality start in five April outings, Bailey has four in May after allowing three runs in six innings of a win over St. Louis on Friday. He has given up three home runs in 43 innings over his last seven outings after serving up six over just 14 1/3 frames in his first three appearances of the year. Bailey is 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA over his last seven starts versus Los Angeles.

Kershaw rebounded in fine fashion from a dismal start at Arizona on May 17, posting six scoreless frames to defeat Philadelphia on Friday. He struck out nine batters for the third time in his four starts since returning from the disabled list earlier this month. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has a 2.78 ERA in eight career starts against the Reds and a 2.22 mark in 97 outings at Dodger Stadium.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez is 10-for-21 with five home runs and two doubles against Bailey.

2. Los Angeles LF Carl Crawford left Tuesday's game with a sprained left ankle.

3. Reds hitters have struck out 51 times during the club's four-game losing streak.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Reds 3