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LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers return home for a seven-game homestand, starting with a four-game series against the rival Giants, which gets underway Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. Here are the pitching matchups for the National League West tilt.
Thursday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)
Josh Beckett has 21 strikeouts and just three walks in his last three starts, to go along with a 2.75 ERA in 19⅔ innings. But he doesn't have a win to show for it thanks in part to the Dodgers scoring two total runs in those three starts with him in the game. Ryan Vogelsong is somehow still a thing, and has allowed one run in 13 innings in his last two starts. Thursday will mark his third start against the Dodgers this season. He has allowed five runs in 10 innings in a pair of no-decisions, and the Giants have won both games.
Friday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Since getting back into the routine of starting on a regular basis, Paul Maholm has a 3.75 ERA in four games, averaging six innings per start, though he does have just 10 strikeouts and nine walks in 104 batters faced during that span. He will face off against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner, who has 46 strikeouts in 39⅔ innings this season. Bumgarner is 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA in his career at Dodger Stadium.
Both Maholm and Beckett make their starts, like Dan Haren on Wednesday, on five days rest.
Saturday, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA, Fox Sports 1)
Zack Greinke saw his Monday start cut short by rain, but still takes a streak of 19 straight starts allowing two or fewer runs, the longest in baseball dating back to at least 1914. San Francisco's starter for Saturday is shown as TBA, but that is expected to be Matt Cain, currently on the disabled list after cutting his hand while making a sandwich, the most unbelievable Giants DL cause since Jeff Kent was washing his truck.
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Clayton Kershaw makes his first home start of the year, looking to extend his 7⅔-inning scoreless streak. Kershaw is 11-5 with a 1.38 ERA in 22 career games, including 21 starts against San Francisco. Tim Hudson has been great so far for San Francisco, at 4-2 with a 1.99 ERA through seven starts. Hudson with 36 strikeouts and just three walks owns the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in baseball.