Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( May 27, 2018 ) San Diego 1, LA Dodgers 6

The Los Angeles Dodgers started the month with four consecutive victories but began their seven-game road trip by losing two of three to the Los Angeles Angels. The Dodgers hope to exact revenge in the second installment of the Freeway Series next weekend at home but first must deal with the San Diego Padres, against whom they open a four-game series Monday.

Yasiel Puig staked the Dodgers to an early lead Sunday with a three-run homer, but Los Angeles was unable to protect it and dropped a 4-3 decision in which it produced only five hits. Matt Kemp notched one of them and is 11-for-22 with two homers, 10 RBIs and five runs scored in six games this month. San Diego began July much differently than the Dodgers, losing five of its first six contests, but enters the series on a positive note after outlasting Arizona 4-3 in 16 innings on Sunday to earn a split of their four-game set. Manuel Margot registered a career-high five of the Padres' 13 hits, but Wil Myers provided the big blow - a solo homer in the 16th that gave him four blasts and five RBIs over his last two contests and San Diego its fourth win in 14 games.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2-4, 2.86 ERA) vs. Padres RH Luis Perdomo (1-2, 6.86)

Kershaw has allowed fewer than three runs in each of his last five starts but has recorded just one victory in that span, a triumph over Pittsburgh on Tuesday in which he gave up two on four hits over six innings. In fact, the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, who landed on the disabled list twice during that stretch, has given up more than three runs only once in his 11 turns this season. The 30-year-old Kershaw is 17-6 with four complete games, one shutout and a 1.94 ERA in 32 career starts against San Diego.

Perdomo returned to the Padres' rotation Wednesday after a stint in the minors that lasted two-plus months and yielded two runs on four hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision at Oakland. It was the longest outing in the majors this season for the 25-year-old Dominican, who went 6-2 with one complete game and a 3.10 ERA in 11 turns for Triple-A El Paso before rejoining San Diego. Perdomo fell to 1-5 with a ghastly 9.55 ERA in eight games (five starts) against Los Angeles after surrendering nine runs (seven earned) and 10 hits over three innings on April 18.

WALK-OFFS

1. Puig, who has gone deep in back-to-back games, exited Sunday's setback with a strained oblique suffered on a swing in the fifth inning.

2. The Padres on Sunday optioned RHP Kazuhisa Makita to El Paso, sent OF Matt Szczur outright to the Chihuahuas and recalled RHP Miguel Diaz from Double-A San Antonio.

3. Los Angeles will be represented in the All-Star Game by OF Matt Kemp and RHP Kenley Jansen while LHP Brad Hand will attend the event on behalf of San Diego.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Padres 3