Clayton Kershaw delievers again with two-hit shutout as Dodgers beat Reds

Happiness is a warm security blanket fresh out of the dryer.

Still sagging from a marathon weekend in San Diego and six losses in their previous eight games, the Dodgers reached for the one thing that always seems to bring them comfort – Clayton Kershaw. The ace left-hander went the distance, throwing a complete-game two-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Cinciati Reds on Monday night.

Chants of “M-V-P” rang out during the ninth iing – perhaps started by the Dodgers’ frazzled bullpen, given a desperately-needed day off by Kershaw.

After playing for five hours and 47 minutes Sunday afteoon (and evening), Kershaw had everyone home in their pajamas before Stephen Colbert’s first Donald Trump joke, needing much less than half that time – just two hours and 11 minutes – to throw his third complete game in five starts this month.

The start was not one of Kershaw’s more dominant performances but was one of his more economical – perhaps more valuable to the Dodgers considering the state of their pitching staff after Sunday’s 17-iing game in San Diego (on the heels of an 11-iing game Saturday).

Kershaw struck out just seven, his first sub-10 strikeout game since April 15. In between, he had six consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts, one short of matching Randy Johnson’s National League record.

Kershaw also – gasp – walked a batter. It was only his fifth walk in 79 iings this season.

Kershaw was less strikeout fascist and more democratic, getting 15 ground-ball outs. That allowed him to retire the Reds on 11 pitches or fewer in seven of his nine iings.

As frugal as Kershaw was with his pitch count, the Dodgers were just as stingy with their offensive support.

Coming into the game, the Reds’ pitching staff had a 5.57 ERA this season – the worst in baseball by more than a half-run. But the weary Dodgers struggled in left-hander Brandon Fiegan’s wake. They had just two hits through the first five iings and just five in eight iings against Fiegan.

Seven Dodgers played all 17 iings Sunday and five of them were in the lineup again Monday – including A.J. Ellis, who has caught 26 iings in the past two days.

That lineup put together the mildest of McGyver-esque, spare-parts rallies for the game’s only run – a walk to Justin Tuer, a throwing error by the Reds catcher on a pick-off attempt, a checked-swing flare single over the third baseman’s head by Adrian Gonzalez and a run-scoring double play.

Advertisement