Los Angeles @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 3, St. Louis 2

The Los Angeles Dodges are winners of 32 of their last 39 games and have not lost on the road in a month. The Dodgers attempt to extend their franchise-record road winning streak to 16 games when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals again on Tuesday. Los Angeles is beginning to run away with the National League West and pushed its lead to six games over the Arizona Diamondbacks with a win in Monday’s series opener.

The Cardinals are fighting for a playoff spot as well and fell two games behind first-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central with Monday’s 3-2 setback. St. Louis put up 44 runs in its previous four games but is dealing with a Dodgers staff that held opponents to an average of 1.5 runs in the last 10 games. The Cardinals are leading the NL wild-card race and own a comfortable nine-game lead over the Diamondbacks, who are in third in the race behind the Cincinnati Reds.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (10-6, 1.87 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Joe Kelly (2-3, 3.10)

Kershaw allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 starts and lowered his major-league leading ERA to its current 1.87 with eight scoreless innings against the New York Yankees last Wednesday. The left-hander has not walked a batter in any of his last three turns. Kershaw suffered through one of his worst starts against St. Louis on May 26, allowing four runs on seven hits in seven innings to absorb the loss.

Kelly is dominating in his return to the rotation and is 2-0 with a 0.51 ERA in the last three starts. The 25-year-old surrendered three hits in six scoreless innings to win at Pittsburgh last Thursday but had some control issues with four walks. Kelly’s career has included three appearances (two starts) against Los Angeles in which he is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 total frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

2. Cardinals 2B Matt Carpenter has recorded back-to-back two-hit games after going 1-for-31 in his previous eight contests.

3. Los Angeles’ road winning streak is the most in the NL since the 1916 New York Giants set the record with 17 straight.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Cardinals 1