Arizona @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 8, 2013 ) Arizona 3, LA Dodgers 2

The Yasiel Puig experience continues Monday when the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series against the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks. Puig made quite an impact in his first week in the majors, batting .464 (13-for-28) with four home runs and 10 RBIs, in addition to several stellar defensive plays. “You don’t see this very often. Not like this,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told reporters. “He brings energy, and you can feel it.”

The Diamondbacks’ lead in the National League West has been cut to 1 1/2 games after dropping two of three against San Francisco over the weekend. Arizona’s starting pitchers have allowed 27 runs over the past five games, resulting in a heavy workload for the bullpen. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .458 (11-for-24) with four home runs and 11 RBIs in six games against the Dodgers this season.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (4-5, 4.92 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (5-4, 1.93)

Miley snapped a four-game losing streak last Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing three runs on a season-high 11 hits over 6 2/3 innings. Mark Ellis is 8-for-18 with three homers against Miley, who saw his ERA jump from 2.93 to 5.01 during his losing skid. He’s 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in five career starts against Los Angeles, including 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA in four outings at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers are averaging 2.68 runs per game for Kershaw, who has four losses despite ranking third in the majors with a 1.93 ERA. He’s 7-6 with a 2.29 ERA in 16 career starts against the Diamondbacks, and catcher Miguel Montero is 4-for-23 against the left-hander. Kershaw is winless in his last five starts against Arizona since July 6, 2012, going 0-4 with a 3.03 ERA in that span.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles has gone 11-6 in its last 17 home games.

2. Arizona is 13-4 in its last 17 games at Dodger Stadium.

3. Dodgers CF Matt Kemp (hamstring) suffered a setback on Sunday and is unlikely to be activated from the disabled list this week.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1