Dodgers get rare shot at lefty

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers will see the rarest of rare creatures on Saturday night, facing a left-handed starting pitcher at Dodger Stadium. Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia will be just the fifth different southpaw starter to face the Dodgers this season.

The Dodgers are just 2-6 this season against left-handed starters this season, after going 26-16 in 2014.

Most of the work has come in 2015 against Madison Bumgarner of the Giants and Jorge De La Rosa of the Rockies, each with three starts against the Dodgers this season. The other two games were against James Paxton of the Mariners and Alex Wood of the Braves.

Those four have combined to go 5-0 with a 2.98 ERA against the Dodgers this season, with six quality starts, 46 strikeouts and 19 walks in 51⅓ innings. The Dodger have hit just .220/.289/.319 against these left-handed starters, with three home runs in 211 plate appearances.

Against left-handed relief pitchers, however, the Dodgers are hitting .282/.348/.431, with six home runs in 210 plate appearances.

Garcia is making his fourth start this season, back after surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome last June. After issuing a walk in each of his first five innings in his first start this year, on May 21, Garcia has gone has last 15 innings without a walk.

The Dodgers counter with a left-handed pitcher of their own on Saturday, Clayton Kershaw, who has won his last two starts, with 17 strikeouts and one walk combined, and has lasted at least seven innings in each of his last three outings.

Game info

Time: 7:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA