The Los Angeles Dodgers came away with a series win against the San Francisco Giants, behind the bat of Yasmani Grandal and arm of Clayton Kershaw. Grandal drove in each of the Dodgers’ runs in their 3-1 victory.
A Curtis Granderson leadoff single and Logan Forsythe double set up Grandal for an RBI opportunity in the second inning. He lifted a fly ball to left field that wasn’t deep by any means, but Mac Willimson’s throw to home plate was on the first-base side.
That allowed Granderson to slide under Nick Hundley’s tag attempt, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Then after Forsythe singled in the fourth inning, Grandal drove a two-run homer to straightaway center field.
The home run was his 21st of the year and the Dodgers’ 212th as a team, which broke the franchise record for most in a single season.
Kershaw also made a bit of franchise history as he allowed just one run and struck out six over eight innings. Kershaw reached 200 strikeouts, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to ever have seven such seasons.
He’d previously been tied with Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, both of whom have six seasons with a minimum of 200 strikeouts.
The Giants certainly had their share of opportunities against Kershaw. He allowed eight hits and only retired the side in order in the first inning.
However, the three-time Cy Young Award winner induced four double plays, and other than Williamson on his solo home run in the eighth, didn’t allow a baserunner to advance beyond second base.
