Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers got a day off yesterday, and they thankfully had their stopper going today. Indeed, Clayton Kershaw turned in a performance worthy of the title, as he stopped the streak of three straight losses with a gem tonight that eventually got them a 2-0 victory over the Angels.
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Kershaw and Reid Detmers put on an old-school pitchers’ duel to kick off the Freeway Series, as both guys put up seven shutout frames, and it was actually Kershaw that was closer to giving up runs.
After cruising through the first two innings on just 22 pitches, Kershaw allowed a two-out walk and stolen base before getting out of the 3rd. The 4th was a lot more problematic, as a two-out Brandon Drury single was followed by a Hunter Renfroe double, but a relay from James Outman to Miguel Rojas to Will Smith got Drury at home. On replay, the tag from Smith saved the game, potentially.
Dunno if they overturn, but eh. pic.twitter.com/xJVUT0tHVs
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 21, 2023
Will Smith puts a great tag down for an out to keep things scoreless. pic.twitter.com/E5VsdFOx6A
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 21, 2023
After a clean 5th and allowing just a single in the 6th, Kershaw got into serious trouble in the 7th by allowing a single and a double to start. With nobody out, Kershaw then got to work, inducing a routine groundout, notching a key strikeout, and, after walking the bases loaded, got another weak groundout to escape with the game intact.
Just what the doctor ordered: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 103 Pitches.
Clayton Kershaw gets out of a second and third with nobody out jam to complete 7 shutout. A pair of ground outs and a timely K. pic.twitter.com/IIpMzhX4AU
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 21, 2023
Detmers was somehow even better than that, giving up just a single through the first three innings. In the 4th he faced the only runners in scoring position in the game, coming on a Freddie Freeman walk and a one-out stolen base, but he got the next two batters without trouble. He then set down the Dodgers in order in the 5th and 6th, then working around a lead-off single in the 7th to keep the shutout going.
Thankfully, the pens came in and it wasn’t the Dodgers who messed up first for once. A one-out double from Rojas was followed by a Michael Busch single to take the lead, on a hit that took a bizarre bounce. We’ll take it, and after the second out was made, Freddie singled and Smith singled as well to double the lead to 2-0.
Will Smith doubles the lead. pic.twitter.com/UDFV2396cT
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 21, 2023
That ended up being it for the Dodgers, but it was enough.
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On the other side, against the heart of the Angels order, Caleb Ferguson stepped up and got a 1-2-3 frame, including strikeouts of both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. That left the game up to Evan Phillips in the 9th, who continued to be easily their best option, notching back-to-back strikeouts to start and then getting an infield pop to make it look easy.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 44-30 |
| Giants | 41-32 (2.5 GB) |
| Dodgers | 40-33 (3.5 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The mini-series will conclude tomorrow at 3:38 PM HT/6:38 PM PT/9:38 PM ET. The Dodgers will get to face Shohei Ohtani (3.29 ERA/3.35 xERA/3.62 DRA), and they’ll be sending … uh, I think Michael Grove (8.10/5.32/5.12) to the mound.
