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Clayton Kershaw Gets First 2012 Crack At Giants

There have been many reasons to give an ovation to Clayton Kershaw, especially against the Giants.
There have been many reasons to give an ovation to Clayton Kershaw, especially against the Giants.

The Dodgers host the Giants in the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday night. While Ryan Vogelsong starts for the Giants, the focus tonight is on Clayton Kershaw, who looks to continue several runs of success.

Kershaw Against The Giants

Kershaw is 6-1 in his career against the Giants, with a sparkling 1.25 ERA, and 87 strikeouts in 79 innings. In 11 starts against San Francisco (he also made one relief appearance, pitching one inning in September 2008), Kershaw has allowed more than one run just three times. He has allowed 14 total runs, and 11 earned runs, in those 11 starts.

Last year, Kershaw was 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA against the Giants. He allowed four runs in a start at Dodger Stadium on May 18 in a no-decision, and allowed zero runs in three of his six starts. He allowed one run in each of the other two starts, and one of those runs was unearned.

In those six starts against the Giants last season, Kershaw had eight walks and 49 strikeouts in 42 innings.

Kershaw At Home

Kershaw hasn't lost at Dodger Stadium since April 16, 2011 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Since that loss, Kershaw has made 17 home starts, and is 12-0 with a 1.64 ERA with 120 strikeouts and 24 walks in 126 innings, an average of 7.41 innings per start.

Kershaw's 12 consecutive home wins is tied with Ed Roebuck (1960-1962) and Orel Hershiser (1984-1985) for the longest streak by a Dodger since moving to Los Angeles.

Kershaw Overall

Kershaw hasn't lost anywhere since falling in Arizona (Cody Ransom, anyone?) last August 7. In the 15 starts since suffering that loss, Kershaw is 10-0 with a 1.57 ERA, with 17 walks and 98 strikeouts in 103 innings. The Dodgers have won 13 of those 15 starts.

The last Dodgers pitcher to win 11 consecutive decisions was Hershiser from July 18 to October 2, 1985, with a 1.37 ERA in 16 starts during that span.

Dodgers Lefthanders

The Dodgers are 14-3 when a southpaw starts this year, and neither Kershaw (2-0), Ted Lilly (4-0), nor Chris Capuano (4-0) have suffered a loss yet this season.

The last Dodgers left-handed starter to lose a game was Dana Eveland last September 21. The Dodgers are 18-3 in games started by a left-hander since that loss, and are 29-7 in their last 36 games started by southpaws dating back to last August (Kershaw started 13 of those 36 games), with the lefty starters owning a 24-3 record during that span.

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: KCAL, MLB Network

MLB Gameday