A Look Towards the First Five Total in Game 2

Padres vs. Dodgers, Game 2, 8:37 ET

The playoffs haven't been very good for me right now. I have a record of just 4-6, but it really has been the futures that crippled me. I didn't get a single one in the Wild Card round, and a couple of them look in rough shape already. Still, even after bad stretches in the regular season, I was able to turn it around. Hoping to do that here.

Yu Darvish had some games that were real head-scratchers this year, but for the most part, he was very consistent and pitched fairly deep into games. He opened the last series for the Padres against Max Scherzer and even though Scherzer crapped the bed, Darvish was spectacular. Over seven innings he allowed just six hits and one earned run - a solo homer. He has now turned in nine consecutive quality starts. He's actually turned in a quality start in 15 of his last 16 games. That streak started after a game at the Dodgers... where he allowed five earned runs and three home runs over six innings. Still, Darvish has actually been good against them overall - he has a 2.52 ERA over four starts. This means he allowed two earned runs in the other three starts combined.

At this point in his career, I feel like Clayton Kershaw is more known for the games that he's missed than for the games he pitches. He turned in 22 starts this season and pitched to the tune of a 2.28 ERA. His dominance is still there, even if he isn't taking the mound 30 times a season. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in his past eight outings. He also has gone at least five innings in all of his last seven starts since returning from the injured list. In two starts against the Padres, he allowed just one earned run over 12 innings. They didn't even really make good contact against him as he only allowed eight hits total in the two starts. The Dodgers did lose his only home start against them, a 4-2 loss that fell on the bullpen. He went seven innings and allowed no earned runs.

The Dodgers offense can, and will, explode at any moment. They did it yesterday and the Padres responded with three runs of their own, but that was all the offenses could muster. It was a little expected yesterday that the Dodgers would score off of Clevinger, but it should be harder against Yu Darvish. Tonight, I'm taking the under 3.5 through five innings. Kershaw and Darvish are both pitching too well and I think have the edge tonight.

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