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Freeway Series Highlights: Justin Turner Makes Diving Stop, Clayton Kershaw Gets Standing Ovation In Dodgers’ Win

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

Clayton Kershaw flirted with a perfect game for a second time this season as the Los Angeles Dodgers cruised to a 9-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of the Freeway Series.

Kershaw wound up cruising through eight innings with just one hit allowed. He collected six strikeouts without issuing a walk and only threw 89 pitches. His bid for history was lost on Luis Rengifo’s leadoff double in the eighth inning.

Kershaw nevertheless became the first pitcher since the Expansion Era began in 1961 to twice have a perfect game through seven innings in the same season.

He largely breezed through six innings on just 59 pitches, and struck out Shohei Ohtani for a second time in the seventh.

Kershaw’s effort was aided along the way by Justin Turner making a terrific diving stop in the fourth inning, Hanser Alberto ranging to his right to snag a line drive in the fifth, and Trea Turner completing a sliding play in the seventh.

“That was crazy how far he went to get that ball and the dive and the throw and everything involved,” Kershaw said of Justin Turner’s play. “So I was impressed. I was just checking to make sure he’s OK because he hit the ground hard on that one. It was awesome.”

Dodgers run support for Kershaw

Kershaw was backed by early offense as Mookie Betts and Trea Turner reached in the first inning and it led to Freddie Freeman RBI single. Justin Turner added an RBI groundout before Patrick Sandoval could get through the first inning.

Alberto hit a two-run triple in the fifth inning, Freeman’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0 in the sixth inning and began an onslaught. Will Smith followed with an RBI double and Turner kept the two-out rally going with a two-run single.

Smith extended his streak to seven consecutive games with at least one RBI. Smith went on to triple in the eighth inning for his fourth hit of the night, and Turner drove him in with another RBI base hit.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com