Field Level Media
Apr 15, 2018
Clayton Kershaw struck out 12 batters over seven innings Sunday and the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense came to life in a 7-2 home victory that ended their 11-game regular-season losing streak to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kershaw (1-2) picked up his first victory in four starts, while the offense finally gave him more than two runs of support in a game. It was the left-hander's 59th career game with at least 10 strikeouts.
The Dodgers last defeated the Diamondbacks on Aug. 10 of last year but have lost four consecutive regular-season series to Arizona since, including the just-completed three-game set. The Dodgers did sweep the Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series last season.
The Dodgers' offense worked six walks against Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley, with two of those six runners coming around to score. Another walk to Chase Utley forced home a run in the third inning.
Godley (2-1), who entered as the NL's ERA leader, gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits in just four innings. The right-hander's ERA rose to 3.00 after he came into the game with a 0.64 mark.
The defeat dropped the NL West-leading Diamondbacks to 11-4.
Chris Taylor had a pair of extra-base hits for the Dodgers, including a fourth-inning home run, his third. He drove in three runs. Yasiel Puig had a two-run single in a three-run third inning for the Dodgers.
The last-place Dodgers, who still have not won a series this season in five tries, improved to 5-9.
Kershaw gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter. After the Diamondbacks' David Peralta doubled in the third inning, Kershaw retired the next 10 consecutive Arizona batters before Paul Goldschmidt hit a home run to open the seventh inning.
The home run was Goldschmidt's fourth of the season and 30th in his career against the Dodgers. It was his third against Kershaw. No other active player has more home runs against the Dodgers than Goldschmidt, who now has 16 career home runs at Dodger Stadium.
The Diamondbacks scored a run in the ninth inning on Ketel Marte's RBI single off reliever Ross Stripling.
--Field Level Media