Clayton Kershaw strikes out 14 as Dodgers win 4th straight

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw tied a season high with 14 strikeouts in another dominating performance to lead the Dodgers over the Cubs 4-1 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, the fourth straight win for the Dodgers.

Kershaw, who already has five games this season with double-digit strikeouts and no walks, struck out 13 batters on Friday before his first walk, a free pass to Matt Szczur in the seventh inning. That was the only walk allowed by Kershaw, who allowed three hits and a run for his 11th win of the year.

It was the 10th game by a Dodgers pitcher since 1914 with at least 14 strikeouts and no more than one walk, and the third such game by Kershaw. He leads the majors with 236 strikeouts on the season, with a seven-strikeout lead on Chris Sale.

Kershaw was efficient, too, needing only 108 pitches to complete his eight innings, the seventh time in his last nine starts he has lasted at least that long.

Kershaw ended his August with 51 strikeouts, six walks and seven runs allowed in six starts and 45 innings.

The Dodgers' first run was a Philadelphia story, with a one-out single by Jimmy Rollins in the third inning followed by a triple to center field by Chase Utley in his first home game with his new team. But he was squandered at third, with Jason Hammel getting Adrian Gonzalez to fly out to shallow center and Andre Ethier to line out to left to end the frame.

Anthony Rizzo tied the score in the fourth inning with an absolute bomb of a home run, over the batters eye section of the pavilion in right center field. It was just the fourth home run Kershaw allowed to a left-handed batter all season.

The scoreboard tally by Chicago was also the first run Clayton Kershaw gave up at Dodger Stadium since July 3, snapping a streak of 31 consecutive scoreless innings at home.

The Dodgers rallied for three runs in the sixth inning, the wildest of frames that saw three walks, three singles and two wild pitches, the first of which coupled with a throwing error by catcher Miguel Montero that allowed Utley to score the go-ahead run.

Notes

Jimmy Rollins grounded out in the first inning, but that was no ordinary at-bat. It was the 10,000th career plate appearance for Rollins, the 83rd player in MLB history to reach that milestone.

Clayton Richard pitched the seventh inning in relief for the Cubs, making this the second-ever game that both Clayton Kershaw and Clayton Richard pitched, along with July 13, 2012.

Friday particulars

Home run: Anthony Rizzo (26)

WP - Clayton Kershaw (11-6): 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 14 strikeouts

LP - Jason Hammel (7-6): 5+ IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts

Sv - Kenley Jansen (26): 1 IP, 1 strikeout