Scott Kazmir hoping for strong first impression against Nationals

Scott Kazmir will have his work cut out for him on Tuesday night against the Nationals, who have been very good against left-handed pitching this season.

It may not have looked like it on Monday night, but Clayton Kershaw is no ordinary left-hander, and even after his domination of the series opener Washington on the season is hitting .269/.340/.470 against southpaws, second in the National League in slugging percentage and OPS, and fourth in wRC+ (114).

The Dodgers will send two more left-handed starting pitchers in the final two games of the series, starting with Kazmir on Tuesday night.

Kazmir has allowed two first-inning runs in two of his last three starts, and his 11 runs and 7.07 ERA in the opening frame make that his worst inning in 2016, with opposing batters hitting .333/.408/.429.

The Nationals have scored 59 runs in the first inning in 71 games this season, by far the most in the National League, 18 more runs than any other team.

Yasiel Puig is back in the Dodgers' lineup, starting in right field and batting seventh after getting reinstated from the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day. Puig missed 17 games with a strained left hamstring.

Puig is 1-for-2 with a single against Nationals starter Tanner Roark.

Trayce Thompson sits on Tuesday, his first time since May 30, when he missed two games with a sore back. Thompson started 20 straight games and 31 of the last 34 games, and is also in a 5-for-33 (.152) skid with 10 strikeouts in his last nine games.

One Dodger not in the lineup on Tuesday is Vin Scully, who is resting at home with a sore throat that he mentioned on air during Monday's game. Charley Steiner and Orel Hershiser will call the game for SportsNet LA on television, with Kevin Kennedy joining Rick Monday in the radio booth.

Scully is day-to-day, per the Dodgers.