Clayton Kershaw Dominates, Los Angeles Dodgers Clinch

Clayton Kershaw finally conquered Madison Bumgarner on Tuesday night. The Dodgers wrapped up the National League West title on Tuesday by beating the Giants.

Clayton Kershaw dominated for a one-hitter, using his power arsenal like a saber to open the wine, and the Giants’ archrivals spilled onto the field in celebration. He spotted for Jimmy Rolllins at shortstop, filled in for the injured Howie Kendrick at second and supplanted the slumping Joc Pederson (.178/.314/.287 in 211 PA since the All-Star break) in centerfield, at least against lefties, before a hamstring injury knocked him out for a month; Monday was his first game back.

Although Leake expressed disappointment at not doing more to lift the Giants into the playoffs, Bochy said the right-hander “brought what we were hoping”. “When you go into the last week of baseball with a chance, and I told these guys, you have to be proud”.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Bolsinger complained of a heavy arm. “This is a total organizational thing”. Kershaw and Zack Greinke form quite the 1-2 punch for the Dodgers, who are still fighting for home-field advantage the rest of the way ahead of their best-of-five division series against the New York Mets. Los Angeles starts a four-game series in Texas Thursday to end the regular season. The crowd kept loud noises to a minimum, rousing themselves mainly when a video clip featuring Giants players as characters in “Full House”, was shown on a tribute night devoted to the late ’80s sitcom about a family of, like, 10, living in a three-bedroom house in San Francisco, presumably because that’s all they could afford. “I think coming here kind of gave me a little more spark”.

The Dodgers went on to lose 5-0.

Leake had the benefit of an early lead thanks to Matt Duffy’s two-run homer in the first inning, and the Giants added on with a Kelby Tomlinson RBI double in the third, a homer by Nick Noonan in the seventh and an RBI single from Jarrett Parker in the eighth. Choo also had a two-run homer in the first.

Bolsinger (6-6) struggled again allowing three runs on four hits in just 3.1 innings. He walked three and struck out one. He said he took the mound against the Dodgers with a “loose” body and “pretty clear mind” after weeks spent in the trainer’s room.

“It’s tough. I wish this had happened at a different time because I want to finish strong”. “Today was one of those days you just try to make it through”.

The Royals, who have lost four of their last five, fell behind 3-0 after Adam Eaton drove a two-run homer into the bullpen in right field off Cueto (10-13) in the fifth inning.

The only other time in the ballpark’s 16-year history that a visiting team clinched a playoff berth or series here was the Dodgers when they captured the NL wild card on the second-to-last day in 2006. “They got down to business on the field and that was a good feeling for me”. “It’s nice that we came back and played a really good game”. His streak of 113 consecutive games played (75 consecutive starts) is the third longest in the major leagues, behind the Orioles’ Manny Machado (155) and the Angels Kole Calhoun (147).

In fact, Kershaw will actively limit his quest for 300 in his final start of the regular season Sunday. He’s never recorded a 300-strikeout season. “I’d like to pick a team and get ready to go with that team, instead of delaying the process”.