Dodgers try a different venue to snap their streak

The Dodgers’ lone victory in their last 16 games came wearing the road grays, so perhaps a 10-game road trip is just what the doctor ordered to snap out of their two-week funk. First up is a ballpark that has given them nothing but trouble for three years.

San Francisco has been a house of horrors for the Dodgers since the start of the 2015 season, with no series wins and a 7-20 (.259) game record at AT&T Park against the Giants during that span. The Dodgers’ last series win on the road against the rival Giants was Sept. 12-14, 2014.

Clayton Kershaw — starting Tuesday in the second game of the series — has started five of those last seven road wins in San Francisco.

This has been a lost season for the Giants, mired in last place in the National League West, needing seven wins in their last 17 games to avoid the franchise’s first 100-loss season since 1985.

But the bulk of the Dodgers’ meetings with the Giants came earlier in the season, before LA established either one of its Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde identities. The Dodgers lost two of their first three series to the Giants, and split the other one. This was before the 43-7 and 52-9 stretches, and certainly before the current 1-15 skid.

The only time these two clubs have met since mid-May was a three-game series from July 28-30. That was a sweep by the Dodgers, with a two-run win and two one-run victories, back when the Dodgers could seemingly do no wrong.

Now, Los Angeles is in desperate need of a win, just trying to stop the slide. Then again, the Dodgers seemingly got to the bottom yet they remain at the top — best record in baseball — so things are truly Helter Skelter right now.

The Dodgers enter Monday having lost their last five series, which immediately followed a 22-series unbeaten streak (19-0-3).

The Giants have also lost their last five series, going 4-12 in their last 16 games. That’s three more wins than the Dodgers have in their last 16.

Kenta Maeda hasn’t faced the Giants in 2017, but was 3-1 with a 4.58 ERA against them in four starts in 2016.

Chris Stratton makes his seventh career start in the opener for the Giants. He faced the Dodgers once, in 2016, in relief, allowing a run on two hits in one inning of work. Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the 10th inning against him, but San Francisco rallied for two runs in the bottom of the frame for a walk-off win.

Game info

Time: 7:15 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA