Future M.V.P. Clayton Kershaw Wins 16th Game

Clayton Kershaw picked up his 16th victory of the year at Chase Field by defeating the Snakes and securing the two-game sweep. Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over the D-backs gives them wins in 6 out of 8 games at Chase Field this season. Kershaw was a bit shaky at times, and we saw him pitch with the bases loaded for the first time this year. The thing about Kershaw is that he is a fighter. His fierce competiveness allows him to pitch out of jams normal pitchers would get flustered during. Kershaw “struggled” a bit during the first four innings, but he only allowed two hits thereafter. The D-backs left seven men on base during the night.

The Dodgers did all their scoring in the third inning on a Matt Kemp two-run double and a solo homerun from Scott Van Slyke. Even though the Dodgers were basking in the win in Phoenix, unfortunately Scott Van Slyke suffered a mild right ankle sprain in the outfield and had to leave the game. He is listed as day-to-day.

The only Arizona run was unearned, and came in the bottom of the fourth on the play where Van Slyke got hurt. Jordan Pacheco‘s base hit scored Marte. Van Slyke drew the error on the awkward throw which he tried to make as he was crippled in pain. Even though the Snakes snuck a run in, Kershaw’s ERA is now a glowing 1.73. Kershaw is on his way to winning his third Cy Young Award, and he deserves the N.L. M.V.P. award as well. He’s one of the most talented athletes on the earth today. The annoying Chase Field was surely not going to stop him.

Dodgers 3 8 1

Diamondbacks 1 6 0

WP- Kershaw (16-3)

LP- Miley (7-10)

S- Jansen (38)

HR- Van Slyke (10)

In the top of the first, Yasiel Puig draws a one-out walk, but Wade Miley strikes out both Dee Gordon and Matt Kemp before Hanley Ramirez grounds out to third to end the inning.

Clayton Kershaw walks the lead-off hitter Ender Inciarte on four pitches. Kershaw rears back to strikeout Cliff Pennington, and Aaron Hill lines out to Scott Van Slyke in center. Inciarte steals second with Mark Trumbo at bat. Kershaw, the fierce competitor that he is, strikes out Trumbo to end the inning! Even after the shaky start and walk to Inciarte, Kershaw is able to reel things in.

Scott Van Slyke is robbed of a base hit in the top of the second when second base man Aaron Hill makes a nice play. Justin

Scott Van Slyke homers and is injured in the same game.

Turner draws a walk. A.J. Ellis has the first hit of the night with a one-out single to left field. Miguel Rojas grounds into a force out, and Clayton Kershaw grounds out softly to first base.

Kershaw gets down the first two outs quickly in the bottom of the second on two pop outs from Alfredo Marte and Jordan Pacheco. Hanley Ramirez makes a very nice play on a sharp grounder from Tuffy Gosewisch.

In the third, Dee Gordon leads off with a single and a stolen base. That’s Gordon’s 58th stolen base of the season. Puig takes ball four down and away, and the Dodgers have two on and nobody out versus Miley. Matt Kemp drills the ball over Inciarte’s head into center field, and Gordon and Puig score on the double. Kemp tries to leg out a triple, but he’s mowed down at third after Inciarte gets it back in to the infield. 2-0 Dodgers. Hanley strikes out. Then Scott Van Slyke crushes a solo homerun to left center field, and the Dodgers jump all over Miley for three runs in the inning. That’s Scott Van Slyke’s fourth homerun off of Miley this season! He’s 7-for-11 with 4 homeruns, 2 doubles and 2 walks against Miley this season. Turner strikes out to end the inning.

Didi Gregorious leads off the bottom of the third with a single to center. Gregorious takes second on a sacrifice bunt by Wade Miley. Inciarte follows with a single to left, and Arizona has runners at the corners with one out. Pennington draws a walk to load the bases up. Aaron Hill loops an out to Gordon. Mark Trumbo flies out to left field, and the Snakes leave the bases loaded and Kershaw escapes the jam. That was the first time Kershaw has pitched with the bases loaded this season. The last time he did so was back in September of 2013 versus Cincinnati.

A.J. Ellis comes up with his second hit of the night in the top of the fourth. Rojas grounds into a double play, and Kershaw strikes out.

The Dodgers suffer a huge loss with Scott Van Slyke in the bottom of the fourth. Alfredo Marte doubles to lead off the inning. Jordan Pacheco singles on a soft liner to left center field. Puig can’t get to the ball, and Scott Van Slyke ends up rolling his right ankle while trying to cover when the ball gets passed Puig. Van Slyke is down on the field in clear pain. He is able to walk off the field on his own, but it looks as though he may have hurt his ankle in similar fashion to Carl Crawford earlier in the season. Marte scores on the play, and Van Slyke is charged with an error.

The Aforementioned Crawford will come into the game to replace the injured Van Slyke. Tuffy strikes out swinging. Didi flies out to Kemp. Miley grounds out to Kershaw who throws to first to end the inning.

Wade Miley retires the Dodgers in order in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, pesky Ender Inciarte proceeds to pull a triple to the right field corner to lead-off. Pennington strikes out a second time. Hill pops out to Hanley at deep short. Kersh strikes out Trumbo with a slow curve, and the D-backs strand Inciarte at third.

Crawford and Turner hit back-to-back singles in the top of the sixth with one out. With A.J. Ellis at the plate, Crawford is nailed trying to steal third. A.J. ends up walking, but Rojas grounds into a force out to end the inning.

Kershaw pitches a nice easy 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth. That’s just what Kershaw needed.

Aug 27, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Oliver Perez will take over for Miley in the seventh. Kershaw draws a lead-off walk. Gordon pops out, and Puig grounds out. Kirk Gibson will make another pitching change. Evan Marshall will face Matt Kemp. Kemp walks. Hanley strikes out for the second time to end the inning.

Wade Miley pitched 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts and 4 walks on 100 pitches.

Clayton Kershaw only strikes out the side in the seventh. Gregorious, old friend Xavier Paul and Inciarte all strike out against the Dodger ace.

Brad Ziegler will be the next D-back’s pitcher for the eighth. Turner singles, and he has been on base three times while continuing to have a very hot bat.

“What a story he is.” -Vin Scully talks about Justin Turner.

A.J. Ellis grounds into a force out, and Miguel Rojas grounds out to third. Rojas goes 0-for-4 on the night.

Rojas will shift over to shortstop, Turner to third base, and Adrian Gonzalez comes in to play first in the bottom of the eighth. Other than a two-out single from Mark Trumbo, Kershaw shuts down the snakes while picking up his tenth strikeout.

Ziegler sends the Dodgers down in order 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.

Kenley Jansen will take over from here. David Peralta pops out to Turner at third. Kenley strikes then out Tuffy and Gregorious! Dodgers win.

That’s Kenley’s 100th career save.

Clayton Kershaw pitched 8 innings and allowed 1 (unearned) run on 6 hits with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks on 109 pitches.

The Dodgers improve to 76-58. Thursday is another off day for the Dodgers as they travel down south to continue their road trip. Dan Haren will start the series opener on Friday at Petco Park. Andrew Cashner will counter for San Diego.