Clayton Kershaw pitched six scoreless innings tonight, the latest in a string of excellent starts for the 21-year old, and was backed by the Dodger offense, solidifying an 8-0 win over the Mets in the Dodgers' first game at Citi Field. Some Kershaw highlights:
- One start after issuing a career-high five walks, Kershaw only walked two batters on this night
- Kershaw has allowed no runs in four of his last five starts. During that time span, the Dodgers are 5-0 and Kershaw's ERA is 0.61
- Since May 1, Kershaw has allowed 17 runs in 13 starts. He is 6-3 with a 2.11 ERA during that span, averaging 5.59 innings per start.
- On the season, Kershaw's ERA is now 3.27 (or, as Silverwidow might say, 2.98), and he has 95 strikeouts in 93.2 innings
Among the rest of the Dodger highlights:
- Orlando Hudson broke out of an 0 for 22 slump with two hits and a walk, scoring a run while driving in two
- Manny Ramirez had a pair of run-scoring singles, good for 3 RBI, before being ejected for arguing balls & strikes (or throwing his elbow pad; I'm not sure of the official reason) in the fifth
- Blake DeWitt hit a pinch-homer in the seventh, his first home run and RBI of the year
- James McDonald, anointed as the new seventh-inning man with Ronald Belisario on the shelf, eased into the role by protecting a six-run lead in a scoreless seventh inning
- Claudio Vargas made his Dodger debut, pitching a perfect eighth inning in his first major league outing in over a year.
- The Dodger offense was retired in order only twice tonight.
All in all, it was a great night for the Dodgers. Hiroki Kuroda will face Oliver Perez tomorrow night.
WP - Clayton Kershaw (6-5): 6 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
LP - Mike Pelfrey (6-4): 3 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, 4 strikeouts