Just Like Old Times- Ethier and Kemp Homer While Kershaw Shuts Down Brewers

Dodgers 3 8 1

Brewers 1 3 0

WP- Kershaw (5-2)

LP- Gallardo (3-4)

HR- Ethier (4), Kemp (2)

The Dodgers entered a three-game series in Milwaukee bruised, battered, and looking for answers. Many feel that one possible answer to this disaster of a season is to fire Don Mattingly. Everyone has chimed in on their opinions about the bewildered skipper’s future, but even though the call to fire Mattingly is at an all-time high, he won’t likely be canned just yet. We don’t know what may be the final straw which may spur a ousting of management, but we do know that Mattingly is on thin ice. After being swept in an ugly fashion by Atlanta, Mattingly almost has to win this series in Milwaukee. After all the Brewers are also a last place team. Yet, somehow this doesn’t make me feel that confident.

4-12. That Dodgers must now go 7-4 for the rest of this month in order to avoid making Dodger history. This May could go on record for the worst May ever. If there’s ever a valid reason to let a manager go, that has to be one. Mattingly will have his top three pitchers in this series. If the Dodgers can’t beat Milwaukee with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-jin Ryu on the mound, I’m certain that Mattingly will be on the chopping block. Sometimes the message a move makes is far more significant than the actual change the move may make.

Clayton Kershaw’s complete game win gives the Dodgers their first victory of the road trip. Photo: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

It was just like old times tonight. The good ‘ole days when Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier were the dynamic duo who crushed homeruns and clutch hits. The formula is pretty simple. When Matt Kemp is successful=the Dodgers are successful. Clayton Kershaw was once again magnificent, and he’s well on his way to his second Cy Young Award. The brilliant southpaw pitched all 9 innings and only allowed 1 run on 3 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk on 107 pitches. Kershaw picked up his fifth win of the season while Gallardo dropped his fourth.

Yovani Gallardo strikes out Carl Crawford to open things up. Mark Ellis also goes down on strikes. Not a good start. Adrian Gonzalez grounds out, and the Dodgers go down 1-2-3. Is Mattingly sweating yet?

Clayton Kershaw goes to the mound for the Dodgers in the home half of the first. Kershaw retires Norichika on a pop-up and Jean Segura on a groundball to Uribe at third. Ryan Braun flies out, and Kersh also pitches a 1-2-3 inning.

Matt Kemp draws a lead-off walk in the second. Andre Ethier than scorches a beautiful triple over Aoki’s head in right center field! Kemp plates a run for the Dodgers. A.J. Ellis grounds out, and Juan Uribe strikes out swinging. Dee Gordon also goes down swinging, and the Dodgers fail to cash in Dre from third with all three available outs.

Kershaw retired the Brewers on three consecutive groundouts in the bottom of the second.

Clayton, who is more a dangerous hitter than Dee Gordon at this point, strokes a single to left field to begin the third inning. Of course Carl Crawford hits into a double play, and Kersh’s single is

Yovani Gallardo allowed 3 runs over six innings to the Dodgers and picked up the loss. Photo: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

immediately erased. Mark Ellis gets a two-out single to extend the inning. Gonzo flies out, and the Dodgers are unable to cash in the two singles.

Kershaw allows a lead-off walk to Rickie Weeks in the bottom of the third. Yuniesky Betancourt singles, and the Brewers have runners at first and second with nobody out. The pitcher Gallardo bunt sacrifices over his runners to second and third. Aoki’s groundball scores a run to tie up the game 1-1. Segura is Kershaw’s first strikeout victim, but not before the Brewers tie it up.

Kemp promptly grounds out to short to start the fourth. Andre Ethier’s beautiful swing is once again showcased as he hits a majestic solo homerun to right field! The Dodgers take a 2-1 lead. A.J. Ellis singles past weeks and into center field. Uribe’s broken bat grounder allows A.J. to reach second since he was already running on contact. Gordon grounds out to end the frame.

Ryan Braun singles to lead-off in the bottom of the fourth. Aramis Ramirez flies out to deep center field. Jonathan Lucroy flies out to left. Kershaw strikes out Carlos Gomez to end the inning.

Carl Crawford hits a one-out double to center field in the top of the fifth. Crawford advances to second on a groundout by Mark Ellis. Adrian Gonzalez strikes out, and the Dodgers strand yet another runner.

Clayton Kershaw strikes out two and retires the side in order in the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the sixth Matt Kemp proceeds to wallops a no doubt about it homerun to center field! That’s Kemp’s second homerun of the year, and with that the Dodgers add another run to their lead, 3-1. Ethier grounds out. A.J. Ellis collects his second hit of the night with a single to left. Juan Uribe strikes out for the second time against Gallardo. Gordon strikes out to end the inning.

Ryan Braun singles with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. A wild pitch by Kershaw allows Braun to move over to second and in scoring position. Ramirez grounds out to Gordon, and the Brewers strand Braun.

Andre Ethier tripled and homered in the Dodger win Monday night. Photo: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

John Axford comes in for the seventh for the Brewers in relief. Yovani Gallardo pitched 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk on 105 pitches. Kershaw grounds out versus Axford. Crawford flies out to left. Mark Ellis grounds out, and Axford only needs six pitches to retire the Dodgers in order.

Kershaw pitches another easy inning in the seventh as he shuts down the Brewers 1-2-3.

Michael Gonzalez will pitch the eighth inning for Milwaukee. Gonzalez strikes out. Matt Kemp strikes out. Ethier strikes out swinging. Ethier gets ejected from the game after arguing with the ump. It could have been due to the ball that was thrown over his head by Gonzalez. Ethier gives the ump a dirty look as he is escorted back to the clubhouse.

Other than a throwing error by Dee, Kershaw is able to dominantly retire the Brewers in the bottom of the eighth.

Burke Badenhop strikes out A.J. Ellis and Uribe in the ninth. Gordon grounds out as he goes 0-for-4 on the night.

Kershaw is in for the ninth, and if may get a special bullpen-free treat tonight. Braun flies out to left field for the first out. Kersh whiffs Aramis with a nasty curve. Lucroy flies out, and Clayton Kershaw has a complete game win in the books! A Kershaw start is refreshing, and the Dodgers will not have to open up the “Box of Pain” that is the bullpen tonight. We can rest easy tonight. Yet time will tell whether Mattingly stays.

The Dodgers improve to 18-25, and Don Mattingly lives to see another day in the Dodger dugout.

Tomorrow evening game two will feature Zack Greinke’s return to Miller Park. Hiram Burgos will pitch for Milwaukee.