San Francisco @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2018 ) San Francisco 4, LA Dodgers 1

The Los Angeles Dodgers slid out of first place in the National League West with three straight losses over the weekend to a fellow division contender. The Dodgers will try to get in the win column at the expense of their biggest rival when they host the San Francisco Giants on Monday for the opener of their three-game series.

Los Angeles dropped three consecutive one-run decisions at Colorado over the weekend and are struggling to cover the loss of closer Kenley Jansen (irregular heartbeat). J.T. Chargois got a chance to fill in on Saturday but squandered a two-run lead by serving up a three-run, walk-off homer to Ryan McMahon, and Dylan Florio walked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-3 setback. The Giants are hanging around the fringes of the NL West race as they remained six games behind first-place Arizona by edging Pittsburgh on Sunday. Both teams will put their best foot forward to start the series as aces Clayton Kershaw of Los Angeles and Madison Bumgarner of San Francisco square off.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 2.69 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 2.58)

Bumgarner was a victim of poor run support on Tuesday as he held Houston to five hits over seven scoreless innings, only to settle for a no-decision in a game San Francisco went on to lose 2-1. The native of North Carolina has surrendered a total of three earned runs over 20 frames in his last three outings but is just 1-1 in that span. Bumgarner's lone start against Los Angeles this season came on June 16, when he yielded three runs on five hits - two homers - and four walks in six innings to absorb a loss.

Kershaw has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his nine starts since coming off the disabled list but did not factor in the decision at Oakland on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Texan recorded a season-low one strikeout in six innings against the Athletics but did not walk a batter and was charged with two runs. Kershaw last faced the Giants on April 8, when he gave up one run and six hits in seven frames but again came away with a no-decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (adductor) is expected to come off the DL and start Tuesday's game.

2. San Francisco OF Andrew McCutchen has gone 1-for-19 over his last six contests.

3. Los Angeles OF-1B Cody Bellinger has recorded multiple hits in each of his last four starts.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 2, Giants 1