Dodgers 4 Cubs 1: Clayton Kershaw, solid #2

Aug 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

4 wins IN A ROW that’s 4 more wins in a week than the Dodgers won all of last week, streaky team, this one. Clayton Kershaw is good as baseball and he led the Dodgers to a 4 to 1 victory against the Chicago Cubs, who are the 3rd best team in the National League. Kershaw struck out 15 batters while only giving up a solo home run to Anthony Rizzo in the 4th inning.

Clayton’s FIP is down to 2.10, while his ERA lags far behind at 2.24, Kershaw has like a 1.5 ERA in his last 17 starts, and the reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated, his ERA- after tonight’s game sits at 60. Decent.

The offense was solid, and BASE TO BASE RUNNING and MANUFACTURING runs were the key to victory as Jimmy Rollins was driven in by Chase Utley in the third inning to make the lead 1-0. Jason Hammel though, is good at baseball and matched Kershaw until Miguel Montero did something pretty dumb in the 6th inning.

Utley walked to get on, then Adrian Gonzalez singled to put him in scoring position. After a pitch in the dirt, Utley made an ill advised decision to run to third, and while he dove in safely, Montero threw off his mask and tried to nail him at 3rd and made a terrible throw and the ball went into CF, and Chase scampered on home.

Gonzalez came home on a double play later in the inning to make the score 3-1, the Dodgers were just praying to push across runs which worked! Luckily the double play came with no outs, and Carl Crawford and Yasmani Grandal got on safely to set up Enrique Hernandez for an insurance RBI single. Kiké’s wRC+ is sitting pretty at 133, and i’m enjoying his starts very much.

Since Kershaw went 8 innings, Kenley mopped up in the 9th to give him his 26th save, his FIP is down to 1.12, he is really good at throwing the baseball. The Dodgers go tomorrow with Mat Latos versus Jake Arrieta (yikes, love you Clayton!)