Gonsolin earns eighth victory, Dodgers edge Angels 2-0
LOS ANGELES — Tony Gonsolin pitched into the seventh inning for the first time this season. He wants to go longer next time.
Gonsolin tossed 6 1/3 strong innings, Mookie Betts hit his 17th home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Los Angeles Angels 2-0 in their Freeway Series opener Tuesday night.
“Felt good,” Gonsolin said. “I definitely wanted to stay out there. When it’s my day to pitch I’ve got to go as long as I can.”
The right-hander remained undefeated with his National League-leading eighth victory and lowered his ERA to 1.42. He struck out six and walked two. Gonsolin has allowed two runs or fewer in all 12 starts this season.
The Angels threatened in the ninth. With one out, Mike Trout hit a broken-bat single off Craig Kimbrel that injured the home plate umpire, causing a delay. Shohei Ohtani followed with a double to center field and Kimbrel walked Matt Duffy to load the bases with one out.
With fans on their feet chanting and clapping, Kimbrel struck out Jared Walsh and got Max Stassi on a called third strike for his 12th save. The Angels extended their streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 17 dating to Sunday. They have dropped 17 of 19 overall.
The Dodgers earned their fifth shutout of the season and avoided their second fourgame skid after getting swept at rival San Francisco last weekend. The Angels’ slide continued with their 10th straight road defeat.
It was the first game featuring six active MVPs since 1982. The Dodgers had Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman on the field; the Angels had Ohtani and Trout. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers was idle.
All that star power amounted to little offense, however. Ohtani had the Angels’ first hit, a single in the fourth that extended his hitting streak to nine games. He was thrown out stealing second. Trout singled in the ninth — the Angels didn’t advance a runner past first base until the ninth.
Betts was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts before going deep to left on an 0-2 pitch from Andrew Wantz in the eighth.
Bellinger and Freeman were a combined 0 for 5 with three strikeouts and two walks.
Angels starter Noah Syndergaard (4-5) retired his first 10 batters before coming undone in a 40-pitch fourth. He issued three walks, including to Justin Turner with the bases loaded, forcing in Freeman, who walked. The right-hander allowed one run and two hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.