Giants vs. Dodgers (September 7): Will Kershaw, Dodgers inch close to the NL West title?

By this time next week, the Los Angeles Dodgers may have confirmed their return to NL West supremacy, a year after the San Francisco Giants snatched it from them with an unexpected 107-win season.

But they have a few wins to pick up in order to wrap up the division as soon as possible, starting with today’s rubber game against San Francisco, whose hopes for an NL wild-card spot are on the verge of going from slim to none.

San Francisco took Monday night’s series opener, but Max Muncy, Joey Gallo, and Tyler Anderson ensured there would no second straight upset.

Gallo opened the scoring in the second with a three-run homer, then Muncy added a two-run shot in the third and a solo blast in the sixth to account for all of the Dodgers’ runs.

JOEY GALLO. pic.twitter.com/wSkkIaj0fa

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 7, 2022

On the mound, Anderson continued his career-best campaign with another strong start (7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 K) to pick up his 14th win of the season.

With a 19-game lead over the second-place San Diego Padres, who they visit this weekend, the Dodgers are potentially days away from wrapping up the division title.

A win today will leave them needing a sweep at Petco Park to mathematically put things beyond the Padres’ reach.

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: San Francisco Giants (65-69, 28-37 away, 3rd in the NL West) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-42, 48-18 home, 1st in the NL West)
• Venue & Location: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
• Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2022
• Game Time: 4:10 p.m. Eastern Time (1:10 p.m. local time)
• Giants vs. Dodgers TV Info: MLB Network

Giants vs. Dodgers Pitching Matchup

• San Francisco: Alex Cobb (2022: 22 starts, 5-6, 3.58 ERA)
• Los Angeles: Clayton Kershaw (2022: 16 starts, 7-3, 2.59 ERA)

Giants vs. Dodgers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline. Odds from other legal sportsbooks that we have reviewed may also be mentioned in this article.

Moneyline

• San Francisco Giants +220
• Los Angeles Dodgers -270

Over/Under

• Over 8.5 (-110)
• Under 8.5 (-112)

Run Line

• San Francisco Giants +1.5 (+106)
• Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-128)

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction and Best Bets

Giants vs. Dodgers Prediction: Los Angeles to win

Giants vs. Dodgers Best Bet: Los Angeles -1.5 (Best Value: -125 at BetUS)

Cobb hasn’t allowed a run in his past two starts and had his best outing of the season last time out, tossing seven shutout innings in a win over the Philadelphia Phillies last Friday.

But he has won consecutive starts only once this season, all the way back in May. That is also the only time to date that the Giants have notched wins in consecutive Cobb starts.

As it is, things weren’t in his favor, even though he has yet to be credited with a loss in nine road starts this season.

But while he is unbeaten on the road (1-0, with a 5.06 ERA), the Giants are 3-6 in his road starts and have dropped the last four. That includes a 7-4 loss at Dodger Stadium on July 24, in which he allowed four runs, eight hits, and two walks in 5.2 innings.

Kershaw is unbeaten at home (2-0 in six starts), but the Dodgers haven’t had as much success in his starts as his numbers would seem to indicate. They are only 9-7 in his starts, including a 3-3 mark at home.

But since losing two of three at home to the Cleveland Guardians in June, the Dodgers are 28-6 at home and have dropped only one series.

Of those 28 wins, 25 have come by 2+ runs, including each of the last seven. And for the season, 81 of L.A.’s 93 wins (87.1 percent) have come by 2+ runs, including all 11 of their wins against the Giants.

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