MLB Odds: Padres host Dodgers

Adrian Gonzalez entered Monday with two RBI in the last nine Padres losses.

Things have suddenly gotten very interesting in the National League West standings.  San Diego is dealing with a double-digit losing skid, and has watched hard-charging San Francisco gain ground over the past 10 games.  The Padres hope to get back on the winning track as they continue a three-game series with Los Angeles.

Don Best Sports has installed Los Angeles as a 150 road ‘chalk’ over San Diego, with the MLB odds total set at 6 ½.  Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PT from the Padres’ Petco Park.

Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw (11-9, 3.01 ERA) is searching for his first victory since mid-August after falling to Philadelphia Wednesday as a 108 home selection, 5-1.  The 22-year-old went six innings, surrendering two runs on five hits (two home runs) with two walks and 11 strikeouts.

The combined six runs slithered ‘under’ the 6 ½-run closing total.  The three-year veteran threw 110 pitches in the setback, and has now thrown over 104 pitches in each of his last eight outings.

Kershaw has pitched Los Angeles to two victories against the Padres this season, with both matchups occurring in May.  The Texas native went a combined 14 1/3 innings, yielding two runs on 10 hits with four walks and 14 strikeouts.  The Dodgers won by identical scores, 4-1, as a 148 home favorite and as 111 road ‘chalk.’

Los Angeles, 28-37 away from home, continues a 10-game road trip after this series with games against Houston and San Francisco.  The Dodgers are 7-16 their previous 23 road endeavors.

San Diego’s Kevin Correia (10-10, 5.52 ERA) is currently mired in a personal three-game losing skid that has seen him allow 20 earned runs during that period.  The 30-year-old continued his downward spiral with last Tuesday’s setback to Arizona as a 112 road underdog, 7-4.

The right-hander was reached for six runs on six hits (one home run) with three walks and six strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings and 87 pitches.  The combined 11 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash his fifth straight start.  The eight-year veteran has now walked nine batters the last 12 innings.

Correia has faced the Dodgers three times this season, including those two setbacks in May to Kershaw.  Correia also battled Los Angeles in early August to prevail as a 152 road underdog, 5-0.  The San Diego native tossed 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball on four hits with a walk and no strikeouts.  The five runs failed to eclipse the seven-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash his sixth straight start in this series.

San Diego, 38-29 at Petco Park, concludes a 10-game homestand after this series with four games against San Francisco.  The Padres have seen the ‘under’ go 7-2 their last nine outings overall.  The ‘under’ is also 7-1 the past eight meetings with the Dodgers in San Diego.

Tuesday’s forecast for San Diego calls for partly cloudy skies and a 10 percent chance of rain, with a high of 68 degrees and a low of 60.