Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Post-Game 72 Thread: Kershaw Rises To The Occasion While Strasburg Bows Out

Our all-time saves leader.

DODGERS 4, NATIONALS 1

Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg was scratched from tonight's matchup with back tightness, but Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw took centerstage and dominated. Seven innings, 8 Ks, 1 ER when he tired and labored through a tough seventh inning. Joe Blanton pitched a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen got his 162nd save, setting the franchise record (Eric Gagne apparently called to congratulate Jansen; Gagne will be at the game tomorrow for a ceremony).

Justin Turner homered in the first and singled in Corey Seager in the fourth inning, and Joc Pederson added a leadoff HR in the fifth off of Yusmiero Petit. Chase Utley added an insurance run in the seventh inning to stretch the lead back to three runs.

Really gritty effort from Kershaw tonight, who was humble in deferring the limelight to Jansen in the post-game interviews. With the Giants' 1-0 loss in Pittsburgh (off a solo HR from the Pirates' backup catcher, on a ball that Giants LF Angel Pagan had in his glove but lost over the wall), the Dodgers are 5.5 games behind in the division and are in the Wild Card lead.

photo: Harry How / Getty Images

3 comments:

Fred's Brim said...

Yay WINZ! I felt bad for Vin. He said he had a sore throat and was going to stay home but came in because it was Strasburg vs Clayton. He sounded OK physically but was disappointed in the late scratch

QuadSevens said...

I heard that comment too! He's still a baseball fan at heart. I laughed when he scolded himself saying he thought he would magically feel better once he got into the booth.

60ft6in said...

Anyone else out there who was stuck on I-5 northbound Monday afternoon for half an hour because a potential suicide jumper was on the Euclid Street overpass in Anaheim? This occurred about 4 p.m. Once the police coaxed the man down it was clear sailing the rest of the way on the Yellow Brick Road to Dodger Stadium. Copycat city. This was the fourth suicide hoax from a freeway overpass that I have heard/read about in the month of June. I hope the Occupy L.A./Occupy Wall Street people don't get the idea to do this in mass. I hate the idea of one of those lemmings crashing through my windshield.