Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
Free Pick: Under 9.5 Runs -110 odds
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Yesterday’s series opener stayed below the total with the Nationals earning a 5-1 victory. The projected starters for this afternoon’s game are Clayton Kershaw for LA and Craig Stammen for Washington. Both were very good to me in their last game.

I played on the Dodgers in Kershaw’s last start and the LA ace delivered a gem, allowing one run through seven complete innings. He gave up just four hits while striking out nine. He didn’t get the victory but the Dodgers still won, defeating the Giants by a 2-1 score.

In case anyone thought his performance vs. the Giants was a fluke, let’s not forget that Kershaw had a 2.79 ERA last season and that he allowed a mere 6.3 hits per nine innings. That was the best mark in all of baseball! He also had more K’s than inning pitched last season and that’s been the case through this season’s first three starts, as well. Clearly, he’s got “great stuff.”

Stammen was also good to me in his last start, as he helped me cashed my ticket on the Nationals and Rockies to finish below the total. Stammen had struggled in his first two starts. However, as I noted on Monday, those starts were both against Philadelphia, currently the highest-scoring team in the league. Facing a slightly less potent offense, Stammen bounced back in a big way. Indeed, he went eight very strong innings and gave up just five hits and two runs. He only walked one batter and had five K’s. He earned the “W,” with the Nationals winning by a score of 5-2.

That great outing should give Stammen some much-needed confidence. He should also benefit from the fact this is his first appearance vs. the Dodgers, so the LA hitters aren’t familiar with him.

Note that Kershaw allowed just one run (in five innings) in his lone 2009 start vs. the Nationals. With 10 of Kershaw’s last 13 starts staying below the total and with both pitchers coming off such a well-pitched game, take a look at the UNDER.

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