Kershaw's Shutout, 14 Strikeouts Ends Dodgers' Losing Streak
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched a three-hitter, struck out 14 and also singled home the game's only run, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Sunday.
Kershaw (3-1) ended the Dodgers' six-game losing streak by pitching his 13th shutout and 22nd complete game in 248 career starts.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner walked none and retired the first 14 batters.
Kershaw also hit an RBI single in the third off Drew Pomeranz (2-2). Pomeranz gave up three hits in seven innings.
Kershaw is 6-0 with an 0.98 ERA in his last nine starts against the Padres. The lefty threw seven innings of one-hit ball at San Diego on opening day in a 15-0 victory.
The Dodgers have shut out San Diego in four of their six meetings this season. The Padres have been blanked seven times overall. This game took 2 hours, 7 minutes.
The Padres got their first baserunner with two outs in the fifth when Alexei Ramirez singled inside first base. Ramirez was thrown out by right fielder Yasiel Puig when he tried to stretch it into a double.
San Diego's only other hits were back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh by Wil Myers and Matt Kemp, putting runners at the corners. But Kershaw struck out Melvin Upton Jr. and retired Derek Norris on a flyball with his 81st pitch.
The Dodgers also finished with just three hits. A.J. Ellis doubled with one out in the third and scored on Kershaw's hit.
Kershaw struck out his first four batters on 16 pitches.
MORE KERSHAW
Kershaw improved to 53-25 in his 120 career starts following a Dodgers loss, and the team is 77-43 in those games. . Kershaw has pitched at least seven innings in all six starts. This was his 45th career game with double digits in strikeouts.
NEXT UP
Padres: RHP James Shields (0-4) will start Monday night in the opener of a three-game series against Colorado at Petco Park. The Rockies hit three home runs against him on April 10 at Coors Field en route to a 6-3 victory. Shields is 13-11 with a 3.86 ERA in 38 starts with San Diego since signing a four-year, $75 million contract in February 2015 as a free agent.
Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (1-2, 5-76 ERA) will make his fifth attempt to get his 100th regular-season victory on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game set at Tampa Bay, the club he began his big league career with in 2004. The three-time All-Star spent five-plus seasons with the Rays, going 55-44 in 144 starts. Against them, he is 1-4 with a 5.15 ERA in five career starts.
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