Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Los Angeles defeated the Los Angeles Angels 2-0 with a pitching gem from Clayton Kershaw to snap their three-game losing streak. The Dodgers lefty didn’t allow a run against a dangerous offense in 7 innings.
The Dodgers were coming off being humiliated by San Francisco at home. This week they face their neighbors in the American League led by Shohei Ohtani, who was Player of the Week and is the home run leader.
Kershaw took the mound with a mission to pitch well and help a bullpen that has been battered and has the highest ERA in baseball. The seasoned lefty pitched again like he was when he won the Cy Young.
The game was a pitching duel between Kershaw and Reid Detmers for the Angels. Both gave up no runs through the first 7 innings of the game at Angel Stadium. The Angels needed the win to get closer to first place who are 4 games behind the Texas Rangers.
Kershaw started dominant against Ohtani and the opposing lineup. Brandon Drury got the first hit in the fourth inning with 2 outs. Followed by a double by Hunter Renfroe who after a great defensive play by Outman, Miguel Rojas and Will Smith got Drury out at home.
Kershaw’s best inning was the seventh. After a hit and a consecutive double, he had runners on second and third with no outs. He served out the first on a groundout to shortstop and then struck out Ty Wallach.
Caleb Ferguson and Evan Phillips relieved perfectly without allowing damage and thus added the victory to stay in the fight for the pennant. The Dodgers are 3.5 games behind for first place in the NL West.
He walked Luis Rengifo on a walk to load the bases, but got out of trouble with a groundout from Vince Velasquez to keep it tied at 0-0.
The Dodgers used Kershaw’s momentum to score two runs in the eighth inning on a double by Miguel Rojas, a single by Michael Busch and then another RBI hit by catcher Will Smith.
Kershaw’s line finished with 7.0 innings of work, 103 pitches, 5 strikeouts, 5 hits received and 2 walks. His ERA was 2.72 and he reached the ninth victory of the season and thus the Dodgers added their 40th victory of the year.
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