The set-up: The Dodgers beat the Royals 4-1 in Friday's opener of this three-game IL series and have won 24 of their last 28 games heading into Saturday's contest (Dodgers are a MLB-best 37-11 at home). The Kansas City Royals saw their four-game winning streak come to an end on Friday's series opener but they've won 22 of their last 33 games to get within two games of the first-place Indians in the AL Central.

The pitching matchup: Ian Kennedy (3-6 & 4.44 ERA) gets the call for KC and Brandon McCarthy (6-3 & 3.25 ERA) for LA. Kennedy earned his third straight win last Monday, 3-1 at Seattle against Seattle. He has now gone 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts (Royals are 4-0), after going 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA in his first 11 outings of 2017. Kennedy has sure had his troubles with LA, going 5-9 with a 4.31 ERA in 20 career starts against the Dodgers (teams are 9-11), including 0-7 since his last win on September 11, 2012 while with Arizona. McCarthy will be activated off he disabled list to start Saturday night for the first time since June 25, when he allowed five runs (four earned) in three innings against Colorado. He has battled knee soreness throughout the season but was cleared to start after throwing a four-inning simulated game last Monday. McCarthy is 3-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 14 career games (six starts / teams are 4-2) against Kansas City.

The pick: Kennedy started the season 0-6, which was one of the more misleading records in baseball. He has allowed six hits or fewer in all 15 starts this season. However, the Royals scored just 28 runs in his first 10 starts. As noted above, the Royals have won Kennedy's last four starts, in which he has gone six innings or more in three of them, allowing just 14 hits and six ERs in 24 1/3 innings. The Dodgers are 6-2 in McCarthy's home starts (he's allowed two ERs or less six of the eight), while posting an impressive 1.02 WHIP at home. Make the Under an 8* play.