How Sweep It Is; Dodgers Win Fifth Straight Behind Kershaw and Kenley

Dodgers 4 12 1

Giants 2 5 2

WP- Kershaw (6-5)

LP- Lincecum (4-8)

S- Jansen (6)

HR- Posey (10)

There’s nothing sweeter than beating the Giants unless it’s sweeping the Giants. The Dodgers, reloaded with a semi-healthy lineup, took the three-game series against their foes at Dodger Stadium as they capped off the finale on Wednesday night. Clayton Kershaw notoriously gives the Giants a hard time, and tonight was no exception. Tim Lincecum once again spiraled out of control during a three-run sixth, and the Dodgers took advantage. Bruce Bochy‘s decision to play Hector Sanchez behind the plate instead of Buster Posey also factored in to things as the back stop’s misplays ended up to be costly.

Clayton Kershaw wins his sixth game of the season. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Hanley, Ethier, and A.J. all drive in runs against the Giants. Puig goes 3-for-4, and everyone in the Dodgers starting lineup had at least one hit except Skip Schumaker. Clayton Kershaw finally got some run support as the Dodgers offense managed 12 hits on the night. Kershaw was relieved by Kenley Jansen, who remained focused in the ninth even after two runners reached safely. Kenley picked up a much deserved sixth save, and the Dodgers moved within 6 of the D-backs in the division with their season-high fifth consecutive victory.

Giant killer Kershaw strikes out lead-off hitter Andres Torres to start things off in the top of the first. Marco Scutaro is retired on a grounder to short, but Buster Posey flares a single to right field. Hunter Pence flies out to Yasiel Puig in right to end the inning.

Tim Lincecum goes to the mound for the Giants in the home half of the first, and he also strikes out the lead-off hitter as Mark Ellis goes down swinging. Yasiel Puig hits a ball right over the third base bag, and he’s in to second with a stand up double. Puig tags up and advances to third on a deep fly ball to center field by Adrian Gonzalez. Hanley Ramirez walks. Andre Ethier grounds out, and the Dodgers fail to score.

Clayton Kershaw send the Giants down 1-2-3 in the second.

A.J. Ellis strikes out looking on a Lincecum slider to begin the second. The former Giant Juan Uribe singles. Skip Schumaker grounds out, and Uribe moves to second. Clayton Kershaw grounds out to the hole at short, but Crawford makes the throw to first to end the frame.

Kershaw pitches another easy inning in the third, and he collects his third strikeout by whiffing opposing pitcher Lincecum.

Mark Ellis leads off the bottom of the third with a single. Puig flies out to shallow right center. Gonzo singles. Hanley follows with a line drive single which extends his hitting streak to nine games, and Mark Ellis scores. Adrian Gonzalez is caught in between second and third on the play. Ethier strikes out, but the Dodgers get three hits and a run.

San Francisco promptly takes the lead in the top of the fourth. Scutaro draws a lead-off walk, and Buster Posey

Tim Lincecum meltdowns are highly enjoyable. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

homers to left. The Giants now lead 2-1.

A.J. Ellis reaches safely on a throwing error by Pablo Sandoval in the bottom of the fourth. Uribe grounds in to a double play, and Schumaker grounds out.

Hector Sanchez singles to third in the top of the fifth. Uribe tries to stop the ball, but he comes up empty. Crawford grounds in to a double play, and Lincecum strikes out.

Puig singles with two out in the bottom of the fifth, but once again he’s gunned down by Torres as he attempts to stretch it in to a double. That’s around the third time we’ve seen Puig attempt that, and he’s been successful only once.

Kershaw pitches a scoreless sixth even though Uribe makes an error on a ball hit by Scutaro.

Hanley singles with one out in the bottom of the sixth for his second hit of the game. With Ethier in the batter’s box, Hanley steals second. Sanchez drops the ball, and he doesn’t attempt to throw Hanley out. Andre Ethier, a.k.a. Captain Clutch, comes through with an RBI single to tie up the game! With A.J. at bat, Ethier steals his first base of the season. Then A.J. proceeds to smack a Lincecum breaking ball for a double, and the Dodgers take a 3-2 lead as Dre comes in to score! Uribe singles for the fourth consecutive hit for the Dodgers this inning. Scutaro stops the ball and prevents another run from scoring on the play. The Lincecum meltdown continues as he uncorks a wild pitch which allows A.J. to come down the line to score. The Dodgers now lead 4-2, and Lincecum will be done after allowing three runs this inning. Jose Mijares comes out of the San Francisco bullpen, and he promptly whiffs Schumaker and Kershaw to end the rally and the inning.

Tim Lincecum pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed 4 runs on 10 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk on 92 pitches.

Kershaw sends the Giants down in order in the seventh, and he strikes out the Panda for good measure.

Andre Ethier drives in a run on a single in the sixth inning. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Sandy Rosario will pitch the bottom of the seventh for the Giants, and Guillermo Quiroz will replace Sanchez behind the plate. Puig collects his third hit of the night with a single to right with one out. Gonzo follows up with a single, but Hanley flies out. Bochy will bring in Javy Lopez to pitch to Ethier. Ethier flies out, and the Dodgers fail to cash in the two hits.

Kershaw’s seventh strikeout victim is Brandon Crawford who leads off the eighth. Quiroz pops out. Torres line out to Hanley.

Jake Dunning becomes the fifth pitcher of the night for the Giants in the bottom half of the eighth. A.J. Ellis reaches safely as he swipes first base ahead of the errant throw by Crawford. Uribe once again grounds in to a double play. Schumaker grounds out to third, and Skip goes 0-for-4 on the night as we head to the ninth.

Scutaro leads off the ninth with a single. Mattingly comes in to make his signature double switch. He’ll bring in Kenley Jansen and Matt Kemp. Kenley will have to face Posey. Posey strokes a single to center, and the Giants have two on with nobody out. Jansen rears back and strikes out Hunter Pence for the first out. Then Kenley battles Sandoval, and he strikes him out swinging! Brandon Belt pops out to Hanley Ramirez, and Kenley collects his sixth save!

The Dodgers improve to 35-42 while the Giants drop to 2 games under .500. The Dodgers are now 6 games back of Arizona in the standings after this fifth consecutive victory.

Tomorrow Philadelphia comes in to town for a four-game set as Zack Greinke counters Jonathan Pettibone.