Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
I love Clayton Kershaw recaps. Even if the Dodgers don’t score many runs, he usually limits the opposition’s offensive output. Fortunately, the offense and Kershaw showed up in the Dodgers’ 9-4 victory against the Padres on Monday night.
First, Kershaw, who was still pretty great: 8 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 89 pitches, 64 strikes, 11/2 GO/AO.
To say he wasn’t dominant would be somewhat accurate, but it’s also ridiculous to say a guy who gave up three hits and one earned run in a eight innings wasn’t dominant. This was his 16th consecutive start of seven innings or more and his sixth straight start of eight innings or more (13th overall). We’re definitely spoiled, folks, even if Kershaw (18-3) didn’t get a ton of help from his defense.
After the offense had put eight runs on the board, the Dodgers committed three (!) errors on one play. I’m not even going to try to explain it. Just watch.
Insert Benny Hill music, right? Thankfully, the offense nullified this Mets-like display of defense (hat tip to Daniel).
The offensive explosion was nice, as it meant Kershaw’s eight innings weren’t as stressful as they could have been. Dee Gordon singled in the first, stole his league-leading 59th base and was driven in by Hanley Ramirez (who was caught stealing during Adrian Gonzalez‘s at-bat). Juan Uribe hit a laser-like home run down the right field line in the second inning. The Dodgers would score two in the fourth and four in the fifth. Carl Crawford, facing Padres’ lefty Frank Garces with two runners on, got a hanging curveball low-and-in and golfed it over the right-field wall to blow the game open and give the Dodgers an 8-1 lead.
The offense had a lot of success against Odrisamer Despaigne, who more than held his own the first time he faced the Dodgers back on July 10 (7 IP, 2 R, 7 K). Tonight, he allowed seven runs — six earned — on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Crawford finished the game 3-for-4 with that 3-run home run and a walk. Ramirez finished 4-for-5 — all singles — with two RBIs to kind of break out of his slump. Matt Kemp got on base three times and Uribe had a couple hits.
Pedro Baez gave up a home run to Yasmani Grandal in the ninth inning to cap the scoring.
The Dodgers improved to 82-62 on the season and gain a half-game on the idle Giants. Roberto Hernandez (8-10, 4.00 ERA) takes on Andrew Cashner (2-7, 2.39) on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. Pacific. If you want to know just how dumb a pitcher’s win-loss record is, just look at Cashner’s.
