Clayton Kershaw turned in a scoreless start and the Los Angeles Dodgers received contributions from multiple players in a 6-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds to snap a four-game losing streak and avoid a series sweep at Great American Ball Park.
Kershaw entered 4-0 with a 1.06 ERA, to go along with 36 strikeouts against only three walks in his last five starts against the Reds. Kershaw began his afternoon with an uncharacteristic four-pitch walk but wound up following it with a strikeout and double play to face the minimum in the first inning.
He left another runner on base in the second inning and didn’t retire the side in order until the fourth. The Reds’ biggest threat came in the sixth inning when back-to-back singles put runners at the corners with nobody out.
Kershaw worked his way out of that jam by retiring the next three batters faced to preserve the Dodgers’ 6-0 lead.
L.A. had pulled ahead on Freddie Freeman’s RBI single in the third inning, which David Peralta added onto by driving in a pair on his two-out base hit. Peralta finished 4-for-5 in what was his first four-hit game since April 22, 2021, which coincidentally also was against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Chris Taylor then led off the fourth inning with his 10th home run of the season, matching last year’s total. After James Outman walked, Austin Barnes pulled an RBI double into left field. Mookie Betts’ single put runners at the corners and set up Freeman’s sacrifice fly.
While the Dodgers lineup again failed to score after the fourth inning for a third consecutive game, Kershaw continued to keep the Reds off the board.
He allowed just five hits while matching season highs with seven innings pitched and nine strikeouts. Kershaw now has completed seven innings in five starts this season, which he did in six outings last year.
Kershaw additionally reached 2,900 career strikeouts and tied Don Sutton’s Dodgers record (since 1900) for most starts of at least seven scoreless innings at 63.
Tayler Scott pairs with Clayton Kershaw to save Dodgers bullpen
Freshly recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move to Noah Syndergaard being placed on the 15-day injured list, Tayler Scott set a career high with two innings pitched.
Scott retired six of seven batters faced in his second appearance with the Dodgers.
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