Clayton Kershaw provided needed length on the mound and the Los Angeles Dodgers backed him with three home runs in an 8-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers improved to 11-1 this season when hitting at least three homers, and they’ve won four consecutive series for the first time.
Wade Miley initially exploited the Dodgers’ struggles against left-handed pitching as he was perfect through three innings. Miley then retired Mookie Betts to start the fourth before the Dodgers offense exploded.
It began with Freddie Freeman and Will Smith combining for back-to-back home runs to put the Dodgers ahead 2-0.
After the Brewers cut their deficit in half on William Contreras’ home run, L.A. responded in the fifth inning with the bottom of their lineup at the middle of it.
Miguel Rojas singled with one out and promptly stole second base. He took third on Contreras’ errant throw down. Rojas finished 2-for-4, giving him a third multi-hit game of the season.
Walks by Trayce Thompson and Austin Barnes loaded the bases, and Freeman’s two-out single drove in a pair. Miguel Vargas added onto the Dodgers’ lead in the sixth inning with his second home run in as many games.
David Peralta contributed a pinch-hit RBI single and Betts put the Dodgers up 8-1 with his sacrifice fly. Miley was charged for seven runs over five-plus innings. He entered the start having allowed nine runs over 35 innings pitched this season.
Clayton Kershaw dominates
Coming off a start in which he uncharacteristically issued five walks, Kershaw largely had his way with the Brewers lineup. He allowed the one run on a solo homer, and five hits overall while collecting eight strikeouts without walking a batter over seven innings.
Kershaw needed just 35 pitches to get through three innings, setting him up to take a burden off a Dodgers bullpen that used seven relief pitchers on Tuesday night.
Kershaw threw 92 pitches (70 strikes) and had first-pitch strikes to 19 of 24 batters faced, while also inducing 18 whiffs.
It was a third time this season Kershaw completed seven innings in a start. Kershaw additionally broke a tie with Jim Bunning to take sole possession for 21st place on MLB’s all-time strikeouts list.
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