TEAM TIPS
The Dodgers are 22-8 when Manny Ramirez has been in the lineup, but they have lost seven of their past nine games to the Mets in New York. Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 3.49 ERA) has given up just two runs in his last four starts, while striking out 26 in 23 2/3 innings. The Dodgers have won each of Kershaw’s last four starts. Kershaw didn’t get a decision in his last outing on Wednesday during a 1-0 victory versus Colorado. Kershaw held the Rockies to one hit and had five strikeouts, but also gave up five walks in five innings before being lifted after 97 pitches. The lefty has faced the Mets only once and that was on May 30 of last year. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings, yielding four runs on five hits. The Dodgers have won six of the past eight times Kershaw has been favored.
PROJECTED SCORE: 5
Mets: The injury-racked Mets are cold having lost eight of their last 10. The Mets were out-scored, 13-3, in their last series against the Phillies. If you discount a nine-run performance versus the Pirates, the Mets have scored just 19 runs in their last 10 games. However, the Mets are 12-5 the last 17 times Mike Pelfrey has been an underdog. Pelfrey (6-3, 4.26 ERA) scattered six hits in 7 2/3 innings during his last start, a 1-0 road win on Wednesday versus the Brewers. Pelfrey has faced the Dodgers just once, a 3-2 Mets victory on May 31 of 2008. Pelfrey gave up two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in seven innings. Mets third baseman David Wright is five-for-40 in his last 10 games with three RBIs. But he is hitting .427 with 34 RBIs in 36 career games against the Dodgers.
PROJECTED SCORE: 3 (UNDER - Total of the Day)