Kershaw 1st win since June, streaking Dodgers top shaky Reds

CINCINNATI (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched five sharp innings for his first win since June 27, Gavin Lux and Corey Seager each hit two-run homers and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sliding Cincinnati Reds 8-5 Sunday.

Will Smith also homered as the Dodgers won for the eighth time in nine games. They began the afternoon two games behind San Francisco in the NL West.

The Reds lost their eighth straight series after starting the day two games in back of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot.

Kershaw (10-7) allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight without a walk. He pitched in Cincinnati for the first time since 2013.

“It was great," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "I thought he was great all the way around. I’m a little biased, but I thought he got squeezed a little, but he was fantastic. Overall really in control. See him get through five with close to 75 pitches. It was perfect.”

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner missed more than two months with inflammation in his left elbow, then returned Monday and threw 4 1/3 solid innings against Arizona. He threw 74 pitches.

“I felt a little more crisp with each pitch," Kershaw said. "I’ve still got a little ways to go with my stamina. I got up to, I think, 75 pitches, but we still have a couple more (starts) before the playoffs.”

The only Reds run against him came when Nick Castellanos doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Tyler Stephenson's groundout in the fourth that made it 6-1.

Lux, who missed Friday’s game with a right forearm contusion, had three hits and drove in three runs. He hit a two-run triple Saturday in a 5-1 win.

“We’ve needed it a ton," Roberts said. "He’s in a good spot mechanically. His approach to each pitcher and his work with hitting coaches is very sound and...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Kershaw-1st-win-since-June-streaking-Dodgers-top-16471432.php