Advertisement

Los Angeles Angels powerless as Clayton Kershaw runs scoreless streak to 37

By Joseph D'Hippolito, The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Dodgers' starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Los Angeles Dodgers' starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES -- Neither an injured right hip nor one of the best players in the major leagues could keep left-hander Clayton Kershaw from defusing opposing offenses.

Kershaw extended his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 37 while leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday in front of 52,979 at Dodger Stadium.

Advertisement

Kershaw (9-6) retired the final 14 batters he faced, permitted only two hits and a walk, and finished with seven strikeouts in eight innings.

The left-hander became the sixth pitcher in major-league history to compile multiple two streaks of at least 30 successive scoreless innings in a career.

Among Kershaw's victims was Angels center fielder Mike Trout, who leads the major leagues with 32 home runs. Trout went 0-for-4, struck out twice, and watched right fielder Yasiel Puig make a diving catch on his sinking line drive in the top of the seventh inning.

Advertisement

When Trout stepped to the plate against Kershaw in the top of the first, it marked the first time in major-league history that each league's most valuable players from the previous year faced each other in a regular-season game.

Trout struck out looking on four pitches.

"He rises to the occasion," Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal said of Kershaw. "That makes him one of the best pitchers in the game, if not the best pitcher in the game.

"When he's in key situations, he gets through them with ease."

An injured right hip kept Kershaw from twice taking his regular turn.

"It's crazy what two or three days off will do," Kershaw said. "I don't think I was quite as sharp. My off-speed stuff wasn't quite as sharp as it has been in the past. But my fastball command got a little better as the game went on."

Grandal noticed a definite difference from Kershaw's last outing July 26, when he had a perfect game for six innings in a 3-0 win over the New York Mets.

"When I caught him in New York, he was right on point throwing strikes," Grandal said. "Today, it seemed like it took him a little bit to start throwing the first pitch for a strike.

Advertisement

"But once he got it going, he just got back to his rhythm."

Kershaw took the mound in the top of the ninth inning to an ovation, but was replaced by right-handed closer Kenley Jansen when C.J. Cron was announced as a pinch hitter.

With Jansen pitching, the Angels ended the shutout and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate. David Murphy, batting for Cron, lined a single to right field and pinch-hitter Kole Calhoun followed with a walk.

Jansen struck out second baseman Johnny Giavotella and Trout before first baseman Albert Pujols dumped a broken-bat single down the left-field line to bring Murphy home and send Calhoun to third base.

But Jansen induced shortstop Erick Aybar to pop out to register his 19th save.

Grandal hit a two-run home run and finished 3-for-4.

"We're holding tight in these games, but we're just not able to get the big hit," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Some guys have been grinding it. Some guys aren't playing at 100 percent just physically. There are new guys coming in that we're trying to match up with."

Advertisement

The Angels lost their fifth consecutive game to match their longest losing streak this season.

"We beat some good pitchers a couple of weeks ago," Scioscia said. "If you're going to win, you have to find a way to beat tough pitchers. We haven't found the way the last couple of games."

The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Second baseman Howie Kendrick began the inning with a single, took third base on first baseman Adrian Gonzalez's single and scored on left fielder Scott Van Slyke's sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field.

After right-hander Fernando Salas replaced left-hander Andrew Heaney, the Angels' starter, Grandal propelled Salas' 83 mph slider over the center-field fence for his 15th home run of the season -- tying his career high.

Heaney (5-1) allowed two runs, two walks and two hits while striking out three in 5 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with two out, yet failed to score.

Puig walked with one out and moved to third when Grandal singled to left field. One out later, center fielder Enrique Hernandez walked, but Kershaw grounded out to end the inning.

Advertisement

After Puig walked, Scioscia was ejected by plate umpire Chris Segal for arguing balls and strikes. The final pitch to Puig was a 92 mph fastball that straddled the outside corner. Scioscia was ejected for the second time this season.

NOTES: Angels CF Mike Trout tied a major-league record for playing the fewest games in a month while hitting at least 12 home runs. Trout hit 12 home runs in 21 games during July. The Baltimore Orioles' Boog Powell and the San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds did likewise in June 1964 and September 2001, respectively. ... The Dodgers lead the National League with 128 home runs ... Dodgers RHP Mat Latos, acquired from the Miami Marlins in a 13-player trade also involving the Atlanta Braves, will make his team debut Sunday.

Latest Headlines