Dioner Navarro's splash hit into McCovey Cove off Tim Lincecum in the seventh inning was all the support Clayton Kershaw needed as the Dodgers avoided a sweep with a 1-0 win on getaway day at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Kershaw was magnificent, striking out a season-high 12 in eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and a walk. Kershaw leads MLB in strikeouts with 167.

Kershaw has also not allowed an earned run in each of his last three starts, totaling 23 innings. The only other Dodger pitcher besides Kershaw in the last 10 years to have three straight starts without giving up an earned run was Chad Billingsley, who did so last July.

Kershaw's career ERA against the Giants, in 10 games (nine starts), is 1.41. As Joe Block of KABC noted, that is the lowest mark against the Giants in MLB history.

Navarro's home run was just the second home run hit into McCovey Cove by a Dodger, joining fellow switch-hitting catcher Todd Hundley, who did so on June 30, 2000. There have been just 39 games since moving to Los Angeles that the Dodgers have won 1-0 with the only run coming via home run. Navarro has accounted for the only run via long ball twice this season, also doing so against Houston on June 19. The only other L.A. Dodger to hit more than one such home run in a season was Gary Sheffield, who did so three times in 2001.

Kershaw was removed for a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth after throwing 111 pitches, even though all Trent Oeltjen was asked to do was sacrifice. Javy Guerra closed out the win with a perfect ninth inning, for his sixth save.

The Dodgers are off tomorrow, then open a nine-game homestand Friday against the Nationals.

WP - Clayton Kershaw (11-4): 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts

LP - Tim Lincecum (8-8): 7+ IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts

Sv - Javy Guerra (6): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

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