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Kershaw to return to Dodgers rotation Friday

“The nine strikeouts for De Leon, the 15th pitcher “” and fifth rookie “” to start for the Dodgers this season, were the second-most by a Dodgers pitcher in his major league debut behind Pedro Astacio (1992) and Kaz Ishii (2002), who each struck out 10.

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Rich Hill threw six innings of one-hit ball, striking out eight, and Josh Reddick and Yasmani Grandal homered for Los Angeles.

Dodgers (75-61): Zack Greinke returns to the mound at Dodger Stadium as Los Angeles hosts the Diamondbacks for a three-game series starting on Monday.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, right, hits a three-run home run as San Diego Padres catcher Hector Sanchez watches during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, in Los Angeles.

Clayton Kershaw’s long-awaited return is finally nearly over.

Los Angeles clinched the season series with San Diego for the sixth consecutive year and increased their lead in the National League West to three games over the San Francisco Giants who fell to the Chicago Cubs in 13 innings on Sunday.

Kershaw struck out five in his three innings of work, allowing one hit and no runs on 34 pitches, including 23 strikes.

The Dodgers ace tossed three innings at Class A Rancho Cucamonga, allowing only an infield single, with five strikeouts and no walks.

Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth for his 41st save in 47 chances.

Friedrich allowed four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings of his first start since August 23.

September 3 was an exciting day for baseball fans in the Inland Empire as Clayton Kershaw, the ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitched for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in a rehabilitation assignment. The Illinois native, who has dropped each of his last eight decisions, gave up five runs over 5 1/3 innings to the Chicago Cubs on August 23 before bouncing back with a scoreless relief frame at Atlanta on Tuesday.

Two innings later he hit a 2-run home run to provide a little more breathing room.

Hill remains unbeaten in his last 10 starts since May 7 with a career-best eight-game winning streak, going 8-0 in that span with a 1.61 ERA.

The Padres’ lone run came on Wil Myers’ single in the eighth for his team-leading 76th RBI.

Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer in the third that put the Dodgers ahead 3-2.

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Seager snapped a 0-for-19 skid with a single in the first inning, and finished the game going 2 for 3. The 24-year-old Puerto Rican, recalled a day earlier from Triple-A Oklahoma City, recorded the second-most strikeouts by a Dodgers pitcher in his major league debut.

Getty Images Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal had a big series against his old mates