Kershaw strikes out 10 in dominant outing against Braves
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Clayton Kershaw bounced back from a loss and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves, 8-0, on Tuesday in the second of three at Chavez Ravine.
Kershaw (3-3) struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings as he continued his dominance of Atlanta.
"He didn't look like a guy that has a 4.40, 4.50 ERA," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "He looked like a guy that you see and have trouble against."
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and league MVP improved to 3-0 in eight career starts against the Braves, with the Dodgers going 6-2 in those outings.
Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer and Andre Ethier also drove in two runs for Los Angeles, which has won two straight and four of five.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (4-2) was roughed up for eight runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Kershaw kept the Braves hitless for the first four innings, then the Los Angeles offense gave him plenty of support in the home fourth.
Howie Kendrick doubled home Jimmy Rollins to open the scoring. Gonzalez was intentionally walked and Justin Turner followed with a base hit that plated Kendrick for a 2-0 lead. Doubles by Ethier and A.J. Ellis later in the frame brought three more runs across, and Kershaw helped himself with an RBI single to make it 6-0.
Gonzalez launched his 10th homer of the season in the fifth to run Teheran from the game and stretch the lead to 8-0 through five.
Kershaw struck out the side in the sixth and added two more in the seventh to close out his night.
J.P. Howell pitched the eighth and Sergio Santos pitched the ninth to secure the win.