L.A.’S Kershaw masterful in shutout win over Braves
Lefty pitches eight innings as Dodgers take 2-0 series lead
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing two hits, and Manny Machado socked a tworun homer as the Los Angeles Dodgersbeattheatlantabraves 3-0 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in their NL Division Series.
Thedodgersusedanearly identical formula to win 6-0 in Game 1 behind Hyun-jin
Ryu, who allowed four two-out singles over seven innings, and home runs by Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez.
Kershaw struck out three and walked none in remaining unbeaten against Atlanta in his illustrious career.
“I think that it was one of the best outings that I’ve seen,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He was in complete control.”
Kershawrantothemoundas though he was going to pitch the ninth, bringing cheers from the sellout crowd of 54,452 at Dodger Stadium. When Roberts went to pull his ace after 85 pitches, fans booed.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for the save, allowing a one-out single to Ronald Acuna Jr.
Machado hit a two-run shot on a 3-0 pitch from Anibal Sanchez with two outs in the first. Yasmani Grandal homered on an 0-2 pitch from Sanchez leading off the fifth.
Acuna doubled to deep left-center on Kershaw’s first pitch. He became the first
Braves runner to reach third base in the series when Johan Camargo grounded out to Kershaw.
After Acuna’s double, Kershaw retired 14 straight until Ender Inciarte reached on an infield single with two outs in the fifth. Kershawthengotex-dodger Charlie Culberson on a fielder’s choice grounder.
Other than Acuna’s double and his single in the ninth, the Braves’ offense was anemic again.
“You can’t blame any one person,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I mean, it’s just our whole lineup is having a hard time.” Jhoulys Chacin pitched five scoreless innings and Erik
Kratz and two hits and two RBI as host Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead in its NLDS with Colorado. Trade deadline acquisition
Brewers 4, Rockies 0:
Mike Moustakas added two hits, scoredarunanddroveinone as the Brewers won their 10th consecutive game.
“It’s been the story of the last sixweeksforusforsure,really since the trade deadline, is we’ve become a team with a lot of depth, and that’s how we’re going to have to win,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
The series shifts to Coors Field on Sunday with Milwaukee needing one win to advance.
“The only thing that changes is that we hit first,” Moustakas said. “Other than that, it’s still baseball. It’ll be a little bit of a hostile environment.”
The Brewers won Game 2 with superb pitching. After Chacin went five innings, allowing three hits on 85 pitches, Corey Knebel worked the sixth, with two strikeouts. Joakim Soria got two outs and Josh Hader one for the seventh inning. Then Jeremy Jeffress struck out three and allowed two hits over the last two innings.
“They’ve got some quality arms. They’ve got good stuff,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.“butwiththatsaid,itisa little surprising that we’re not generating some runs.”