SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (6-4)

at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (6-4)

First pitch: Friday, 10:10 p.m. ET
Line: San Francisco +150, Los Angeles -165, Total: 6.0

Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw square off in a battle of two of the game’s most dominant pitchers when the Dodgers host the division-rival Giants.

It doesn’t get much better than a classic pitchers’ duel, and that’s what we should expect on Friday night when the Giants (6-4) take on the Dodgers (6-4) at Dodger Stadium. On the mound for San Francisco is LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-0, 3.27 ERA, 14 SO, 6 BB in 11 IP). Opposing the 2014 World Series MVP for the Dodgers (6-4) is LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 1.20 ERA, 14 SO, 2 BB in 15 IP). This will be the second time of this short season that the two aces will face each other. The two took the hill at AT&T Stadium on April 9 and received no-decisions in a 3-2 Dodgers victory in 10 innings. Both pitchers were excellent on that California day, with Kershaw allowing two earned runs on four hits in eight innings of work and Bumgarner surrendering one earned run on six hits in six innings. Kershaw allowed two homers in the game, the first of which was a solo shot by Bumgarner. The 2014 NL MVP later yielded a long ball to 2B Ehire Adrianza (.300, 1 HR, 2 RBI), who is day-to-day after fouling a ball off his foot on Thursday. In their first series of the season, San Francisco took three of four from LA. Coming into Friday’s series opener, the Giants and Dodgers are tied for first place in the National League West.

Bruce Bochy’s club has been tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of 62 runs (2nd in NL) and 19 homers (2nd in NL). LF Angel Pagan (.371, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .450 OBP, 12 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 SB) has been hitting well to all fields and 1B Brandon Belt (.333, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .429 OBP) is tied with backup catcher Trevor Brown (.385, 3 HR, 7 RBI in 13 AB) for the club lead in home runs. C Buster Posey (.333, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .387 OBP) has gotten off to a good start, and SS Brandon Crawford (.242, 2 HR, 2 RBI), RF Hunter Pence (.237, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and 3B Matt Duffy (.225, 2 HR, 8 RBI) each have a pair of homers despite low averages. The Giants have seen a ton of Kershaw and, predictably, they’ve struggled mightily to hit him. Belt is 3-for-40 with 22 SO against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, Crawford is 1-for-21 with 9 S0, Duffy is 5-for-22 and Pence is 5-for-58 with 16 SO. Pagan has had moderate success again the 28-year-old (16-for-60 with 5 2B), and Posey—despite a lifetime .228 average in 79 at-bats—has homered off Kershaw twice.

How about OF Trayce Thompson (.438, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .500 OBP)? If you don’t know the name, get to know it. After just 44 games with the White Sox last season, the 25-year-old has seven hits in his first 16 at-bats with LF Carl Crawford (3-for-11) on the disabled list. RF Yasiel Puig (.405, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .500 OBP, 1 2B, 2 3B) has gotten off to a blistering start after a disappointing 2015, and 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.375, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .422 OBP, 4 2B)—manager Dave Roberts’ most feared hitter—has lived up to his billing. SS Corey Seager (.268, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .295 OBP) and 3B Justin Turner (.265, 0 HR, 4 RBI) have yet to get hot. Gonzalez hasn’t solved Bumgarner in his career, going just 7-for-45 with nine strikeouts. Turner is 8-for-36 lifetime against him with a pair of homers. Puig (7-for-26) has also taken the three-time All-Star deep twice.