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It takes a lot these days to upstage Yasiel Puig, but Clayton Kershaw found a way on Tuesday night. Kershaw pitched the 21st complete game shutout in the history of Coors Field en route to a 8-0 win by the Dodgers over the Rockies.
The win was the third straight for the Dodgers, who have won nine of their last 10 games, and moved from last place into a virtual tie for third place in the National League West with the Padres (San Diego owns a slightly higher winning percentage, .4762 to .4756), 2½ games behind Arizona.
Kershaw was brilliant on the mound, allowing just four hits while striking out eight. His game was just the sixth no-walk shutout in Coors Field history. Kershaw on the season has an NL-best 1.93 ERA.
From the 2012 All-Star break to present, Kershaw is 15-9 in 33 starts with a 2.01 ERA, 236 strikeouts and 64 walks in 237⅓ innings, including four complete games, and three shutouts.
He got a rare show of run support on Tuesday, from the usual suspects of late. Puig welcomed himself nicely to Denver, going 3-for-5 with a home run and a double in his Coors Field debut.
Puig is hitting an obscene .443/.473/.745 on the season, and despite playing just 27 games leads the club with eight games of three hits or more.
Hanley Ramirez was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. During his streak, Ramirez is hitting .469 (23-for-49).
Those two weren't the only ones with multiple hits. Adrian Gonzalez was 2-for-5 with his team-leading 11th home run, A.J. Ellis was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two walks, while Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe were each 2-for-4.
The Dodgers have gained seven games in the division in the last 11 days. In the last 10 days, the Dodgers are 8-1 while the rest of the NL West is a combined 7-29.
Up next
The Dodger express rolls on on Wednesday with Zack Greinke on the hill, facing off against Tyler Chatwood for the Rockies.
Tuesday particulars
Home runs: Adrian Gonzalez (11), Yasiel Puig (8)
WP - Clayton Kershaw (7-5): 9 IP, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts
LP - Roy Oswalt (0-3): 5 IP, 9 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts