Down To One: Dodgers Can't Score For Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw did something Tuesday night that he hadn't done since August 1, 2010: he allowed an earned run in San Francisco. Two of them, in fact, as the Giants scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning to beat the listless Dodgers 2-0 in the second game of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

The Dodgers dropped their third straight game, dropped to 1-7 on their current road trip, and saw their lead in the National League West shrink to just one game over the Giants. This feels like the steamroller scene in Austin Powers, as the Dodgers have seen their demise coming straight at them yet can't seem to get out of their own way.

The Dodgers have had two disastrous trips to the Bay Area in the last eight days. They scored two runs and had eight hits in three games in Oakland last week, and while they have improved to 12 hits in two games in San Francisco they have yet to score this series.

The Dodgers haven't scored in their last 21 innings, dating back to Sunday.

Melky Cabrera led off the bottom of the fourth inning with his seventh home run of the year, which snapped a streak by Kershaw of 35 2/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run in San Francisco. Two singles and a stolen base gave the Giants a second run in the inning, and they threatened for more by loading the bases with one out.

But Kershaw was able to escape further damage by striking out pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, then did this to Gregor Blanco (thanks to MadManWithABox from McCovey Chronicles for the GIF):

Kershaw struck out eight in his six innings, but got hung with the loss thanks to those two runs. Vogelsong pitched seven scoreless innings to pick up his seventh win of the season.

The Dodgers threatened with two runners on base in the seventh inning, but A.J. Ellis struck out and pinch hitter James Loney flew out to center field to end the rally. Loney has no hits in his last 18 at-bats, dating back to June 16.

The last time the Dodgers were shutout in back-to-back games in San Francisco was 25 years ago, when the Giants beat the Dodgers from August 15-16, 1987.

Up Next

The Dodgers can barely see through the blindfold, but send Chad Billingsley to the mound to face the firing squad in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Tim Lincecum starts for the Giants, looking to make sure the scoreboard never again shows him with an ERA that starts with a six.

Tonight's Particulars

Home Runs: Melky Cabrera (7)

WP - Ryan Vogelsong (7-3): 7 IP, 7 hits,

LP - Clayton Kershaw (5-4): 6 IP, 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts

Sv - Santiago Casilla (21): 1 IP, 1 walk, 1 strikeout