Dodgers have a chance for best LA home record

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are back home for their final extended homestand of the season, a 10-game residency that will see divisional foes Colorado and Arizona come to town, with a weekend Pirates series in between. The Dodgers have a chance to not only close in on an unprecedented third straight division title, but also post the best home record since the franchise moved to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers are 47-21 at home this season, the best home record in baseball (narrowly ahead of the Pirates, 49-22 in Pittsburgh). With 13 home games remaining, the Dodgers currently have the best home winning percentage (.691) in Dodger Stadium history.

The best year in Los Angeles for the Dodgers was in 1980, when the club won 55 home games but finished the year with a loss in their 82nd home game, a loss in the divisional playoff against the Astros one day after sweeping Houston in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium to force said playoff.

The all-time Dodgers franchise mark for best home record came in 1953, when the 105-win Dodgers were 60-17 (.779) at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

The Dodgers this year could match that home win total by sweeping their final four home series, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Winning eight of their final 13 home games would give the Dodgers their best home record since moving to LA.

The club has won 50 home games 12 times at Dodger Stadium, something last accomplished in 2009 (50-31). That was the only time since 1991 the Dodgers have won 50 home games.

The Dodgers last lost a home series from July 3-5 when the Mets took two of three games. Since then, the Dodgers have won seven series at Dodger Stadium and tied a two-game set.

Clayton Kershaw is on the mound for the Dodgers on Monday night, at 9-2 with a 1.411 ERA at home this season. That ranks as the eighth-best seasonal ERA in Dodger Stadium history, with a minimum of 10 starts, a whisker behind teammate Zack Greinke (1.407) for seventh.

With a strong finish, Kershaw or Greinke could move as high as third, behind only Sandy Koufax (0.85 ERA in 1964) and Orel Hershiser (1.03 ERA in 1985).

Kershaw entered this season 6-2 with a 1.38 ERA in 11 career home starts against the Rockies. This season he has allowed three runs in both home starts against Colorado, with four earned runs in 12⅔ innings, both Dodgers wins.

The Dodgers have won 11 of their last 13 home games against the Rockies.