Kershaw allows just 2 hits in 8 innings

LOS A NGELES» Clayton Kershaw tossed eight innings of twohit ball in the Dodgers’ second straight playoff shutout, and Manny Machado slugged a tworun homer as Los Angeles beat the Atlanta Braves 30 on Friday night for a 20 lead in their NL Division Series.

The Dodgers used a nearly identical formula to win 60 in Game 1 behind HyunJin Ryu, who allowed only four twoout singles over seven innings, and home runs by Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez.

Kershaw was even better. The lefthander struck out three and walked none in remaining unbeaten against Atlanta throughout his illustrious career.

Los Angeles can sweep the bestoffive series in Game 3 on Sunday in Atlanta, where the Baby Braves will be looking to score for the first time this postseason.

Kershaw got bypassed as the Game 1 starter in favor of Ryu after the threetime NL Cy Young Award winner had started eight of the Dodgers’ past 10 postseason openers. Manager Dave Roberts said it was done to give both Ryu and Kershaw five days of rest between starts.

One more victory would put Los Angeles in the NL Championship Series for the third straight year. The Dodgers beat the Cubs in the NLCS last season and lost to them in that round in 2016.

Kershaw ran out to the mound as though he was going to pitch the ninth, bringing cheers from the sellout crowd of 54,452. But when Roberts went out to pull Kershaw after 85 pitches, fans booed.

Kenley Jansen gave up a oneout single to Ronald Acuna Jr. before earning the save.

Machado hit a tworun shot on a 30 pitch from Anibal Sanchez with two outs in the first. Joc Pederson doubled leading off.

Yasmani Grandal homered on an 02 pitch from Sanchez leading off the fifth to make it 30.

Acuna doubled to deep leftcenter on Kershaw’s first pitch. He became the Braves’ first runner to reach third base in the series on Johan Camargo’s groundout to Kershaw.

After Acuna’s double, Kershaw retired 14 consecutive batters until Ender Inciarte reached on an infield single to second with two outs in the fifth. ExDodger Charlie Culberson grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop with Inciarte out at second.

The Dodgers backed Kershaw with a double play to end the sixth after he plunked pinchhitter Lane Adams leading off and Acuna Jr. grounded into a fielder’s choice to third.

The Braves’ offense was anemic again.

Other than Acuna’s double and his single in the ninth, they were limited to a twoout single by Inciarte in the fifth.