Mets-Dodgers Preview

The New York Mets were able to beat Clayton Kershaw in last year's playoffs.

They've yet to do it in the regular season.

With Bartolo Colon looking for a third straight win, the Mets get another shot at the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace in Thursday night's series finale against at Chavez Ravine.

Kershaw (4-1, 2.04 ERA) struck out 11 but allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings of a 3-1 home loss to New York in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. Almost three months earlier, the left-hander, who avenged that defeat in Game 4, improved to 6-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.34 over nine regular-season starts against the Mets (21-12) when he fanned 11 during a three-hit 3-0 win at Citi Field on July 23.

Kershaw tossed a three-hitter and struck out 14 in a 1-0 win over San Diego on May 1. Six days later, despite yielding eight hits, he allowed two runs and fanned 10 over eight innings of a 6-2 victory at Toronto.

''He just locked in,'' teammate Corey Seager said. ''You could see the demeanor change. He was, I guess you'd say, tired of not being himself so he went back out there and fought through.''

Second in the majors with 64 strikeouts while issuing only three walks, Kershaw has struck out at least 10 in four consecutive games for the first time in his stellar career.

"We get spoiled with what he can do," manager Dave Roberts told MLB's official website.

Colon (3-1, 2.82) is 0 for 2 with a strikeout against Kershaw, but the burly soon-to-be 43-year-old right-hander became the oldest major leaguer to hit his first home run Saturday at San Diego.

''Anytime I see a fastball I swing hard because I'm not a curveball hitter,'' he said.

After New York's 4-3 victory Wednesday, manager Terry Collins was asked of Colon's chances of homering off Kershaw.

"About as good as yours."

Collins would rather Colon focus on maintaining his early success that continued while allowing only a three-run homer over 6 2/3 innings of that 6-3 victory over the Padres.

"He has lost some (velocity), but he is still doing it," San Diego's Melvin Upton Jr. said.

Colon, who posted a 4.50 ERA in three relief appearances against the Dodgers (17-17) in the playoffs, allowed a solo home run over eight innings opposite Kershaw in that July defeat.

Teammate Noah Syndergaard also showed off his pop when he became the second pitcher in Mets history to hit two homers in one game Wednesday.

"I go out and focus on what I have to do on the mound and anything extra is great," said Syndergaard, who lasted eight innings and was responsible for all New York's runs.

New York has won two of the first three in a series that's featured 18 total runs as the last two have been decided by one apiece.

Yoenis Cespedes is batting .345 in his last eight games but is 1 for 9 overall against Kershaw.

Including the postseason, Adrian Gonzalez is 12 for 25 with three home runs and two doubles against Colon. Chase Utley is 7 for 17 with two doubles when facing him. However, Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig are a combined 0 for 16.