Kershaw Goes For The W

The last time we saw Clayton Kershaw he was well on his way to earning his first victory of the season. However, a faulty bullpen in the eighth inning saw victory slip through his grasp.

Today, a redemption effort, courtesy of dodgers.com...

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (1-0, 1.29)

Coming off a 7-1 victory in his 2009 debut against Milwaukee, Cain will try to beat the Dodgers for the first time. Cain, who allowed just four hits and one run over seven innings against the Brewers, is 0-6 in 11 career starts against the Dodgers. He was 0-3 last season when, typically, he suffered some hard-luck losses. In six starts against the Dodgers in 2008, the power-pitching Cain posted a 2.79 ERA. The Dodgers hit just .257 against him. His final two starts of the year came against the Dodgers. He pitched a combined 13 innings and allowed two earned runs but came away with a no-decision and a loss.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0, 1.80 ERA)

In his first start of the year, Kershaw pumped fastballs and the occasional change-up for three innings against the Padres before making the adjustment that found his curveball. By then his pitch count was so high he had to leave after only five innings, having thrown 105 pitches. He allowed one run on two hits, but walked four while striking out six.

Pitches and Pitchers

This is cool...

Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully will throw out the ceremonial first pitch in Monday's Dodgers home opener against the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

He probably won't take the mound, but I bet he throws a strike.

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Your home opener pitchers, courtesy of dodgers.com...

Randy Johnson, San Francisco Giants (0-1, 7.20 ERA)

The Big Unit thrived at the outset of his San Francisco regular-season debut last Wednesday, striking out two batters in each of the first three innings. Johnson finished with seven strikeouts in five innings, but he also finished with a loss as the opposing pitcher, Milwaukee's Yovani Galllardo, belted a three-run homer. Johnson remains five wins away from becoming the 24th pitcher in history to win 300 games. He has never lost at Dodger Stadium, where he's 7-0 in 11 outings with a 2.04 ERA.


Chad Billingsley, Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0, 3.00 ERA)

Billingsley showed no negative effects from his playoff debacle against Philly, the broken leg he suffered in the winter or the strained groin from the Spring. Five of his six innings against San Diego were scoreless, the only blemish a two-run hitless fifth inning when he suddenly couldn't throw a strike and walked three consecutive batters. He takes the ball for the home opener against the Giants and Randy Johnson. He had a 2.08 ERA against the Giants in four starts last year.