Los Angeles @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2014 ) LA Dodgers 3, Kansas City 5

The Kansas City Royals figure to have a much tougher time of defeating the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers than they did in the series opener as they face Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner is coming off his first career no-hitter in an 8-0 triumph over Colorado on Wednesday. Kershaw was named the NL Player of the Week as a result of his accomplishment and looks to become the first pitcher since Cincinnati's Johnny Vander Meer in 1938 to toss back-to-back no-hitters.

The Royals have higher aspirations than recording a hit as they look to post consecutive victories after losing four in a row. Jarrod Dyson went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Jeremy Guthrie worked 7 2/3 strong innings as Kansas City recorded a 5-3 triumph in Monday's series opener. The loss was just the second in seven games for Los Angeles, which has not lost a set since dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox from June 2-4.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLBN, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.52 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (4-6, 2.80)

It's hard to imagine Kershaw can perform any better after striking out a career-high 15 and coming within an error of a perfect game. The 26-year-old has won four consecutive starts, allowing a total of four runs over 29 innings while registering 40 strikeouts and issuing one walk. Kershaw, who never has faced the Royals, is 4-1 with a 3.08 ERA in five road starts.

Duffy looks to rebound from his first loss in four starts, a 2-1 setback at Detroit on Thursday in which he allowed two runs and three hits over seven innings. The 25-year-old has surrendered a total of five runs in 25 2/3 frames over his last four outings after giving up a combined 11 (10 earned) in his previous two turns. Duffy, who is 1-2 in six games (four starts) at home, will be facing the Dodgers for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez's homer on Monday ended his 28-game drought.

2. Kansas City SS Alcides Escobar and CF Dyson - the eighth and ninth hitters in Monday's lineup, respectively - combined to go 5-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

3. Kershaw is the second straight Dodgers pitcher to be named NL Player of the Week, as LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu claimed the honor last week.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Royals 2