Ellis And Rollins Carry Offense, Kershaw Throws Complete Game Shutout
After Kershaw retired the side in order in the top of the third, Gonzalez and Van Slyke both knocked a single with one out. Then with two outs, Rollins launched a three-run homer to left-center field, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0 through three innings.
The Phillies continued to struggle against Kershaw in the fourth, as he retired the side in order. He picked up two strikeouts along the way to run his total to six through four innings. Morgan also retired the side in order in the bottom half, the first time he had done so all night.
Dominic Brown hit a one-out double down the right field line in the top of the fifth. Kershaw then got a strike out and groundout to end the inning, keeping the Phillies scoreless. Hector Neris took over for the Phillies in the bottom of the fifth and worked around a Van Slyke one-out double to toss a scoreless inning.
Van Slyke’s double gave the Dodgers three players who were two hits from the cycle to that point — joining Ellis (needing a triple and double) and Rollins (needing a triple and base hit). The double left Van Slyke a home run and a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Kershaw struck out Herrera to open the sixth, then ran into a bit of trouble. Maikel Franco dropped a one-out bloop single in front of Yasiel Puig, and Darin Ruf followed with a base hit that was too hot for Rollins to handle. After throwing a wild pitch that allowed both runners to advance, Kershaw retired the next two batters on a pair of pop-ups to end the threat.
Ellis remained perfect on the night by hitting a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth. Kershaw did his part in aiding the offense by dropping down a sacrifice bunt to advance his battery mate, though Ellis was then stranded by Puig and Kendrick, who both struck out.
Kershaw gave up back-to-back singles in the seventh, then had to face pinch-hitter Ryan Howard with two on and no outs. Howard went down swinging and the next two Phillies batters also came up empty. Kershaw punctuated the inning by ending it on his 10th strikeout of the game, keeping the Dodgers’ lead at 5-0.
Kershaw picked up his 11th strikeout of the game in the eighth and kept the Phillies off the bases in the process. The Dodgers ace hit for himself in the bottom of the inning and took the mound with sights set on throwing a complete game.
Ruiz led off the ninth with a double before Kershaw went on to retire the next three batters faced for a complete game shutout, his first this season. Additionally, the Dodgers’ 5-0 win extended their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings to five games.
[divide]Yasmani Grandal Comments On Facing Struggling Phillies
