Kershaw Wins His 18th Game

Dodgers 2 7 1
Giants    1 3 0
WP- Kershaw (18-5)
LP- Casilla (2-2)
S- Guerra (17)

Kershaw was Unstoppable in his 30th Start

Dee's defense almost dunks Dodgers, but they come back to tie the game in the 8th off a Kemp dribbler and then later get the winning run off Casilla in the 9th. Clayton Kershaw picks up his 18th win of the season and inches closer to the Cy Young award. Kershaw has dominated Lincecum this season winning all three matchups. Kershaw now has the lowest ERA in the league at 2.36 and becomes the first Dodger to win 18 games since Chan Ho Park in 2000. The Giants only had 3 hits as their feeble offense couldn't muster much of anything. Lincecum pitched well too, but the Dodgers took advantage once he began to tire in the 8th inning after making 127 pitches.

The Giants got their lone run early in the first inning when Gordon made a high throw which pulled Loney off the bag allowing Christian to reach first. Christian then steals second. Beltran walks, and Sandoval singles in Christian giving the Giants the 1-0 lead. Kersh strikes out the rookie Pill, and then Gordon makes an amazing leaping and twisting catch on a Cody Ross shallow fly ball.

After Rivera walks in the second inning, Cabrera makes a fine catch of his own on a line drive by Miles robbing him of a sure base hit. Sands draws a walk, but Big Rod pops up and Sellers flies out. Kersh whiffs Cabrera and Stewart in the bottom half of the inning.

The Dodgers go down in order in the 3rd, but Kersh sends down the Giants in order as well in the bottom of the inning striking out Keppinger and Beltran.

In the 4th Kemp and Rivera single, but Miles pops out and both Sands and Big Rod pathetically whiff to end the inning. Kersh once again has a 123 inning in the bottom of the 4th.

Dee Gordon Tags out Cabrera Trying to Steal Second

Sellers is hit by a pitch in the 5th, and Kersh sac bunts him over but the Dodgers fail to score. Cabrera gets a base hit when Miles can't handle his grounder but he is picked off soon after.

In the 6th the Dodgers only muster a Miles single. Kersh has another easy 123 inning in the bottom half.

The Dodgers go down again in order in the 7th and Christian makes a diving catch on a fly ball by Sellers. Kersh continues the battle of the aces when he sends the Giants down in order as well in the bottom of the 7th.

Both pitchers' horns are locked until the 8th inning when Lincecum began to tire. Kemp reaches on a little dribbler that just stays fair. He steals second. Rivera gets a clutch single which brings in Kemp to score and tie the game at 1 a piece. Miles gets a pop fly single, but Sands strikes out. In the bottom of the 8th Stewart reaches on a bunt single that Kersh can't handle, but he comes out of the game after hurting his ankle stepping back on the bag. Ford pinch runs for him and proceeds to steal second, but Kersh strikes out Christian to end the
 threat.

Lincecum Pitched Well, But the Giants Offense Fizzled

Lincecum pitched 8 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks and striking out 6 on 127 pitches.

Kershaw pitched 8 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and striking out 9 on 111 pitches.

Casilla comes out of the Giants bullpen in the 9th and promptly allows a Big Rod single. Velez, our designated pinch runner, comes in to run for Big Rod. Seller sacrifices Velez to second. A wild pitch allows Velez to third. Then Velez scores on a Jamey Carroll hopper! Risky move, but it paid off. The Dodgers take the lead 2-1. Javey Guerra comes in and pitches a great 123 inning in the 9th shutting down the meek Giant lineup and picking up his 17th save of the season.

The Dodgers are now only within 1 game of the magical .500 mark. The Giants are sinking deeper and deeper in the standings proving that last season was indeed a fluke. Tomorrow Dana Eveland will go to the mound with Hiroki Kuroda pitching on Sunday.

Have a wonderful night Dodger fans! Go Blue!