After being dropping the Freeway Series opener, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to end their nine-game homestand on a positive note against the the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. For Clayton Kershaw, it was another opportunity to put together a third consecutive complete-game shutout at Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw retired the side in order in the first, striking out Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout. Jered Weaver then retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the first. Albert Pujols led off second inning with a single up the middle.
Kershaw then balked before getting a ground ball, with Pujols having to hold at second base. Johnny Giavotella and Shane Robinson then hit back-to-back base hits to give the Angels a 1-0 lead before Kershaw managed to work his way out of the inning.
Trayce Thompson drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the second, but was stranded by Yasiel Puig and the Dodgers remained without a hit in the game. Kershaw picked up his fourth strikeout on the night as he retired the Angels in order in the third.
With one out in the bottom of the inning, Kershaw singled to right. That was followed by a Chase Utley base hit to center field, but Kershaw was thrown out by Trout attempting to go from first to third.
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Justin Turner launched a deep fly ball to center that appeared to be catchable, but it went off Trout’s glove, with the error allowing Utley to score from first base to tie the game.
Giavotella singled with two outs in the fourth, but Kershaw got a groundout to end the inning. The Dodgers took their first lead of the game two pitches into the bottom of the fourth. Howie Kendrick singled on Weaver’s first, and Joc Pederson clubbed a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw.
Thompson laced a single to center, but was erased on a Puig double play. Weaver got Kershaw to ground out after A.J. Ellis extended the inning by drawing a walk. Kershaw bookended a scoreless fifth inning with strikeouts.
Turner and Kendrick connected for base hits in the bottom of the fifth, though nothing came of it. Kershaw worked his way through the sixth inning on a strikeout and pair of fly outs. He then was unable to help his cause after Ellis doubled with two outs in the bottom half of the sixth.
Kershaw collected his ninth strikeout of the game in the seventh inning as he set the Angels down in order to give him 10 consecutive batters retired. Corey Seager added to the Dodgers lead with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Jefry Marte was called out on strikes to start the eighth inning. The strikeout was Kershaw’s 10th of the game, giving him six consecutive starts with at least that many, a Dodgers franchise record he set in his previous outing.
Kershaw then struck out Gregorio Petit and got Yunel Escobar to line out to end the inning. Pederson hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, notching his second career multi-home run game. Kenley Jansen entered in the ninth and finished out the Dodgers’ 5-1 win.