Dodgers' postseason hopes on the line in series vs. Giants.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Clayton Kershaw will attempt to pitch the Los Angeles Dodgers into the postseason for the sixth consecutive season Saturday afternoon when he faces the San Francisco Giants on the second-to-last day of the regular season.

The Dodgers (89-71) begin the day two games ahead of St. Louis (87-73) in the National League wild-card race with just two games to play.

One more Dodgers win or Cardinals loss would send the defending NL champions back to the playoffs. St. Louis visits the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

Los Angeles also remains alive in the chase for the NL West title, trailing Colorado (90-70) by one game. The Rockies could clinch the West crown on Saturday with a home win over Washington and a Dodgers loss in San Francisco.

Kershaw (9-5, 2.53 ERA) will take the mound as the winningest visiting pitcher in the 19-year history of AT&T Park with a 13-4 record and 1.30 ERA in 22 games, including 21 starts.

He owns a 22-10 overall record and 1.58 ERA against the Giants in 44 career meetings (43 starts), with his 22 wins ranking as the most for a Giants opponent since Greg Maddux retired with 31 in 2008.

Kershaw has not lost since July 21 at Milwaukee, an 11-start run in which he's gone 6-0.

That stretch includes receiving a no-decision in a 5-2 loss to San Francisco on Aug. 13 in Los Angeles, a game in which the Giants scored four times in the ninth off Dodgers reliever Scott Alexander to rally from a 2-1 deficit. Kershaw gave up just one run in his eight innings in that game.

Kershaw has dominated many of the Giants regulars over his career, including Hunter Pence (.186), Evan Longoria (.154) and Brandon Crawford (.125).

The left-hander will be facing a Giants team that has been held to two runs or fewer in 10 of its last 12 home games, and that grounded into a season-worst five double plays in Friday's 3-1 loss in the series opener.

The 30-year-old has never pitched against Saturday's opponent, right-hander Dereck Rodriguez (6-4, 2.50), but did face his dad, Ivan, five times, with the Hall of Fame catcher going 1-for-4 with a sacrifice.

Dereck Rodriguez has a chance to write a piece of personal history in his first-ever start against the Dodgers.

The 26-year-old has a chance to become the first rookie since Jose Fernandez (2.19) in 2013 to record an ERA of 2.50 or lower with 15 or more starts.

Rodriguez is winless in his last six starts, going 0-3 over that stretch.

He will have to deal with a Dodgers club that's won 11 of its last 17 games on the road, and in particular with Justin Turner, whose two-run home run off Madison Bumgarner on Friday night broke a fifth-inning tie and gave Los Angeles the lead for good.

Turner has gone 10-for-28 (.357) in seven games against the Giants this season, with hits in all seven, including four doubles and two homers.

The Giants retain a 9-8 lead in the season series heading into the final two meetings.