(Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

A rejuvenated Clayton Kershaw is embracing the stretch run as he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday as they open a three-game series against the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kershaw is 9-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 17 starts since returning from knee and toe procedures in the offseason. The 37-year-old left-hander appears to be hitting his stride by going 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA in five August starts.

The Dodgers are coming off of a dramatic 5-4 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, when Will Smith delivered the fourth pinch-hit game-ending home run of his career. The victory prevented a Diamondbacks series sweep.

After he had four days of rest before his most recent start, Kershaw will be getting a six-day break between starts this time around. Despite allowing just one run on two hits with no walks over five innings in a win against the Cincinnati Reds last Tuesday, Kershaw said he was far from his best and credited his catcher Smith for the performance.

'It wasn't a great night, stuff-wise,' Kershaw said. '... Didn't have a lot of life on the fastball or really anything. Will did a good job. We kind of flipped the script and just started throwing kind of a lot of different stuff, trying to be creative, keep them off balance.'

Kershaw, who is 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 13 career starts against Pittsburgh, has thrown more than 80 pitches in just two of his past five starts and 90 or more pitches in three of his 17 starts.

'Physically, everything feels good,' Kershaw said. 'I think everything changes from start to start sometimes. But overall, it was great. ... Fun to be a part of it this time of year.'

The Pirates have embraced a youth movement in recent weeks after putting Isiah Kiner-Falefa on waivers. They are going younger in their rotation as well by adding top prospect Bubba Chandler.

Cam Devanney made his debut Sunday, starting at third base.

'Being able to mix and match, it will be fluid,' Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said on Sunday. 'Guys will get opportunities to play and show what they can do and have good at-bats. These guys, they play solid defense.'

The Pirates will turn to right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (3-7, 3.86) on Tuesday. Mlodzinski has been trying to make the best of his opportunities this season whether as a reliever, starter.

Mlodzinski will make his third start and fourth appearance since Aug. 17. He went four innings in an Aug. 17 start against the Chicago Cubs and three innings in a start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, when he gave up one run on three hits of an eventual 2-1 victory.

The Pirates lost 5-2 to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, but have been on one of their best stretches of the season. Pittsburgh has won nine of its past 13 games and has won the past two games in which Mlodzinski has pitched.

Mlodzinski will make his first career start against the Dodgers, although he has made three career relief appearances against them and has not allowed an earned run over three innings.

--Field Level Media