Steve Webb
CINCINNATI, OH — It figures. Just when the Dodgers seemed like they couldn’t buy an out and their bullpen was gassed to the point of break, a hero named Kershaw arrives and provides every damn thing that was needed to get the team out of Cincy with a win.
You would think that the Dodgers would have won more than just one game in a series that they put 20 runs on the board over three nights, but nope. The Dodgers needed the 6-0 win on Thursday to end their four-game skid. And Clayton Kershaw had a lot to do with it. He wasn’t as dominant as he’s been in some of his other starts this year, but he was great with runners in scoring position, pitching around traffic in multiple innings. In the end, it was a string of zeros on the board for the three-time Cy Young winner. His line for the day: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K. Just what the doctor ordered.
Offensively, David Peralta had his best game in Dodger blue, notching four hits and driving in two runs. Freddie Freeman was his usual awesome self, driving in a pair of his own, Chris Taylor hit a solo home run, and even Austin Barnes sent a screamer to the corner to account for LA’s other run.
But the story of the day was Kersh. He continues his solid 2023 campaign with a second straight quality start after a few hiccups in May. And, his season ERA has once again dipped below 3.00, a place where it’s been most of his storied career.
“The offense did it again today with six early runs,” Kershaw said after the game. “As a starting pitcher, you’ve got to make that hold up. Very similar to the last game I pitched, against the Yankees, they gave me a bunch of runs early. [I] just try to pound the zone as best I can, and today, it worked out.”
“We’ve needed every bit of it,” manager Dave Roberts said of Kershaw’s performance. “I think everyone understands the value of going out there and having a shutdown inning, or you’re losing games and you have to win that game. But to have that mindset and mentality to go out there and execute that, that’s why [Kershaw] is who he is. That’s why he has the respect of everyone in the league. There’s just that certain edge that he exudes.”
