Kershaw strikes out 13 in shutout, Dodgers beat Phillies 5

Before playing against his ex- team for the first time in his 16-year major league career, and hitting ninth in the lineup for first-place Los Angeles, Rollins sat in the dugout at Dodger Stadium and was flooded with questions about his ex- franchise.

“He’s always been that guy who wants to be up there in that situation, in that moment, and he loved coming through for his team”, ex- teammate Ryan Howard said.

Except he was wearing a road uniform.

“He’s the greatest pitcher on the planet”, Ellis said simply when asked why Kershaw should make the NL All-Star Team. I said Los Angeles, and they were able to get a deal done. That’s what it boils down to. He gave up eight hits. He hadn’t decided whether to accept the demotion or become a free agent. Fans can vote for either Kershaw, Johnny Cueto, Jeurys Familia, Carlos Martinez or Troy Tulowitzki online through 1 pm Friday. “The last three games obviously have been below par”. “So I went in there and, yeah, the mood changed quick”. Over his last four starts, the Dodgers have only averaged two runs per game. “I don’t know where we’d be without him as our No. 3 (starter), and at times he’s been a No. 1 or 2”.

“You pull for Adam Morgan because of the way he goes about his business”, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said a day earlier. “To me those are the kinds of games where people don’t want to come to the game”, Mattingly said.

Yet Kershaw also leads the majors in strikeouts (160), and even the fan of traditional statistics can get behind that number. There are only eight pitchers in the history of the game to accomplish that feat more.

When the Dodgers play into extra innings, they have a 4-3 record. “We can’t keep abusing the bullpen”. Freddy Galvis had a two-run shot in the second and Odubel Herrera added a solo homer in the fourth, when the Phillies led 6-3.

“He was throwing everything for strikes on both sides of the plate”. He stretched in an effort to tag Ethier, but lost the ball in the process.

Rollins leadoff the second inning with a double to right field, and Ellis followed with a line drive to center that just cleared the fence.

“I’m glad to have gotten out when I did, but I’m glad to have gotten here”, he said.

RHP Jenmar Gomez (0-2) was tagged for three runs on six hits and a loss in 1 1/3 innings Monday night. It’s the eighth start and the 10th trip to the All-Star Game for Pujols – his first since 2010 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Kenley Jansen picked up his 14th save by pitching the ninth. The 36-year-old shortstop, who delivered a key hit in a 10-7 L.A. victory, called facing his old team for the first time since his December trade “another baseball game”.

Rollins had two hits, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in the game. Kendrick went 4 for 5 and finished a home run shy of the cycle with a triple, double and two singles.

O’Sullivan served up a three-run home run to Dodgers All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal in the fifth inning. Ellis rounds the base after a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Ju…

They tied the game 7-all in the seventh on Galvis’ sacrifice fly. O’Sullivan gave up seven runs (six earned) in 5 1/3 innings in Philadelphia’s 10-7 loss to the Dodgers. He was with the Dodgers from 2006-13, going 81-61 in 219 games, including 190 starts. The Phils rank 30th in scoring (3.44 rpg), while on the mound they are 29th in ERA (4.64).

The left-hander had been 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his three previous starts.