Roberts: Kershaw's return a 'huge lift' for Dodgers

If slow and steady wins the race, Clayton Kershaw's second start since returning from injury was another step forward.

In his first career start at Yankee Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers ace was dominant, pitching five scoreless innings while allowing only one hit and striking out five in a 2-0 win against the Yankees on Wednesday. It was Kershaw's second start since his return from a lengthy absence which saw him miss two months of action with a back injury.

After the game, Kershaw assessed his performance moderately, saying he thought he pitched fine considering the game was delayed twice for approximately 48 minutes.

"I gave up a hit so it was a bad pitch there. It's tough to be satisfied when you only pitch five innings, but with a rain delay and everything considered, it was okay," he told ESPN's Doug Padilla.

The Dodgers have been cautious with Kershaw's pitch count, as he's amassed 130 pitches and only eight innings in two starts post-injury. Manager Dave Roberts says he's pleased with the results, as Kershaw's return has given the team a huge boost in the middle of a pennant race.

"Individually for Clayton, I don't think it could have worked out any better," Roberts said. "The fastball was good. The velocity was really plus. And he got the strikeout when he needed to. To see Clayton go out there and do what he does, it was a huge lift for us."

Despite Kershaw's absence, the Dodgers have maintained their place in the standings with a 82-63 record heading into Thursday, winners of seven of their past 10 games.