LOS ANGELES — As pitching matchups go Abraham Almonte Jersey , it would be hard to tilt the scales any more in one direction than they will be when the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers meet Saturday evening in Los Angeles.The Padres will go with right-hander Brett Kennedy and his three career starts. The Dodgers will counter with Clayton Kershaw and his three Cy Young Awards.Kennedy (0-2, 8.36 ERA) has yet to win his first major league game, although he finally looks to be getting comfortable with his surroundings. After getting crushed for a combined 11 runs on 20 hits over his first two big league starts, Kennedy held the Arizona Diamondbacks to two runs on six hits over five innings Sunday.Article continues below ...Without a blazing fastball to work with, Kennedy has to rely on pinpoint control. Even though he was better in his start against the Diamondbacks, he did issue three walks. He will now face a Dodgers team that typically is disciplined when it comes to the strike zone.“He definitely threw the ball better; I thought his secondary stuff was better last time out,” Padres manager Andy Green said about Kennedy. “(The Dodgers) team will be a real challenge for him. They will load (the lineup) down with lefties and he’s going to have to execute to pitch well against them. I look forward to him rising up to meet that challenge, but it takes a while for some guys to get their footing in the big leagues and he’s starting to find it.”Pitching opposite Kershaw could present an intimidation factor, although Kennedy already has dealt with pitching against an ace. Zack Greinke was the Diamondbacks’ pitcher when Kennedy last took the mound.Meeting Kershaw at Dodger Stadium, though, is a different level entirely. And Kershaw (6-5, 2.40) has been as good as ever lately, going unbeaten over his last five starts with a 1.82 ERA over 34 2/3 innings in that stretch.Kershaw last lost a game on July 21, and even then he gave up just one earned run. The defense let him down to the tune of three unearned runs that day against the Brewers. Since June 23 http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-grimm-jersey , when Kershaw returned from his second stint on the disabled list, he is 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA.Add to the mix an increased sense of urgency from Kershaw and the Padres figure to be in a tough spot Saturday.“I don’t know how many games we’ve got left, but it’s now or never,” Kershaw said, according to mlb.com. “We better start playing, we better get good.”Kershaw is 18-6 with a 1.89 ERA in 33 career starts against San Diego, and he pitched six scoreless innings in his only start against the Padres this season.The Dodgers’ inconsistent offense roared back to life Friday in an 11-1 victory over the Padres, with Chris Taylor, Justin Turner and Max Muncy hitting home runs. Muncy moved one home run away from No. 30 on the season.The victory helped the Dodgers gain a game on the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks as they moved 3 1/2 games out of the division’s top spot. The Dodgers also moved 2 1/2 games behind the second-place Colorado Rockies. CHICAGO (AP) — After seven dominant innings from Jon Lester, the Chicago Cubs turned to a closer-by-committee due to their loss of Pedro Strop.Lester allowed two hits over seven innings with a season-high nine strikeouts, Willson Contreras hit a run-scoring single in the sixth inning and the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on Saturday to maintain their NL Central lead.Justin Wilson pitched the eighth. Jesse Chavez got the first out in the ninth and Randy Rosario retired Joey Votto on a fly to warning track in left-center. Steve Cishek retired Eugenio Suarez on a broken-bat grounder to third for his fourth save, completing a four-hitter.“We know we’re going to be matched up throughout the game, and that’s what Joe likes to do,” Cishek said. “Everyone knows it’s the ninth inning. We just try to treat it like any other inning.”Seeking their third straight division title Burch Smith Jersey , opened a 2½-game NL Central lead over second-place Milwaukee. Chicago has won three straight, four of five and eight straight against Cincinnati.Lester (16-6) came out after three runs and 5 2/3 innings against the Brewers on Monday because of back tightness.“It’s doing fine,” Lester said. “Like I say, good drugs and good docs. We’re all good.”After a midseason slump, the 34-year-old left-hander is 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA in his last six starts.“Jonny typically gets better when he smells it,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He made some really big pitches when he had to.”Chicago announced Friday that Strop has a hamstring strain, causing him to miss the rest of the regular season.“We needed a quality start and he went beyond that,” Cishek said of Lester. “Especially for us in the bullpen where we could use a little bit of rest. It was huge for us, a huge boost.”Cody Reed allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 10 in five innings, matching his longest outing this season.“Did what he wanted him to do,” manager Jim Riggleman said. “Get us to that point of the ballgame and give us a chance.”Reed threw 91 pitches after transitioning from the bullpen. He threw 91 pitches.“It was fun out there,” Reed said. “I could have kept going.”Javier Baez led off the sixth with an infield single against Sal Romano (7-11), advanced on David Bote’s groundout and scored on Contreras opposite-field single to right with two outs.Each team had just two soft singles through five innings on an afternoon of bright sunlight and shadows that covered home plate. The lights in the 104-year-old ballpark were on when the game started shortly after 3 p.m. CDT.“Both clubs’ hitters were having a little trouble hitting, seeing with the background today Blaine Boyer Jersey ,” Riggleman said.Cubs slugger Kris Bryant struck out swinging four times.MORROW CLOSECubs RHP Brandon Morrow, who had 22 saves in 24 chances before going on the disabled list on July 18, hopes to be activated in the next few days after throwing a 19-pitch simulated game on Saturday.“It all depends on how I come in tomorrow,” Morrow said. “I expect to feel good enough. It was a successful day.”Morrow revealed his injury was a bone bruise in his right forearm, caused by muscle overuse and a stress reaction from pitching. “Throwing too hard,” he quipped.Morrow’s return figures to be a big boost for the Cubs’ bullpen after Strop strained his left hamstring on Thursday in Washington running to first base.Maddon said he doesn’t think he’ll initially use the right-hander in a save situation. Maddon will monitor Morrow’s pitch counts and doubts the reliever will be able to throw in consecutive games unless the Cubs advance deep into the postseason.TRAINER’S ROOMReds: RHP Michael Lorenzen will start in place of RHP Tyler Mahle (right shoulder fatigue) on Tuesday. Mahle’s status for the remainder of the season is uncertain, manager Jim Riggleman said. The 26-year old Lorenzen hasn’t make a start since September 2015, at the close of his first season with the Reds and in the majors.Cubs: Maddon said OF/IF Kyle Schwarber (back) could be cleared for pinch hitting this weekend and return to the lineup when the Cubs travel to Arizona for a three-game series starting Monday. … Maddon also expects OF Jason Heyward (right hamstring tightness) to return during the series against the Diamondbacks.UP NEXTReds RHP Luis Castillo (9-12, 4.66) is to take the mound against Cubs LHP Jose Quintana (13-9, 3.97) in the series finale on Sunday. Quintana will try for a career-high 14th win.