Phillies Spoil Kershaw's Return With 2-1 Victory
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jorge Alfaro drove in two runs, Aaron Nola pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Thursday, spoiling Clayton Kershaw's first start in almost a month.
Hitting out of the No. 8 spot in the Phillies' lineup, Alfaro delivered an RBI single in the second inning against Kershaw and had an RBI double off reliever Josh Fields in the seventh.
Nola (7-2) struck out seven, including five of the last seven batters he faced. He walked one and allowed just two runners to reach as far as second base. Seranthony Dominguez held the Dodgers scoreless over the final two innings for his second save.
Nola allowed one run or fewer in five of his six starts in May and posted a 1.80 ERA in the month. The right-hander has allowed just three hits over his last two outings combined, after holding the Toronto Blue Jays to one hit and one run over 6 2/3 innings Saturday.
Kershaw pitched in his first game since May 1, spending time on the disabled list with left biceps tendinitis. He gave up one run and four hits over five innings, throwing 62 pitches. He had five strikeouts and a walk.
Kershaw's first in-game pitch in 30 days was a 90-mph fastball that Phillies leadoff man Cesar Hernandez hit into center field for a single.
Alfaro's RBI single to center in the second inning brought home Maikel Franco from second base. Joc Pederson's throw home appeared to beat Franco to the plate, but catcher Yasmani Grandal couldn't handle the short hop. Replays appeared to show that Franco never touched home plate, but the Dodgers never appealed.
The Dodgers tied the score in the fifth when Yasiel Puig doubled and Enrique Hernandez followed two batters later with a run-scoring single to right field against a drawn-in infield.
Alfaro broke the 1-1 tie in the seventh inning when he doubled to the wall in right-center field off Fields (2-2). He was thrown out at third base trying to extend the hit to a triple.
The Phillies earned a split in the four-game series and are now 2-5 at Dodger Stadium over the past two years after getting swept in a three-game series in Los Angeles in April 2017.
The Dodgers have won 10 of their last 14 games but have lost three of their last five. They finished their season-high 10-game homestand with a 6-4 record.
Nola held the Dodgers hitless until Puig's leadoff double in the fifth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Rhys Hoskins will not need surgery to recover from his fractured jaw and manager Gabe Kapler said that means Hoskins' recovery should take weeks instead of months. .
Dodgers: RHP Tom Koehler (shoulder), who has not pitched this season, threw a bullpen session but remains uncertain when he will begin a rehab assignment. ... LHP Alex Wood had his upcoming start at Colorado moved from Friday to Sunday in part because of lingering cramps in his left hamstring that have affected him in two starts this season. ... RHP Kenta Maeda (hip strain) is set to resume baseball activity Saturday.
MOVING DAY
The Dodgers optioned ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte back to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room on the roster for Kershaw.
The Phillies recalled OF Dylan Cozens and RHP Mark Leiter Jr., and RHP Drew Hutchison was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Nick Pivetta (4-3, 3.26 ERA) will start in the opener of a three-game series at San Francisco having allowed just three earned runs combined over his last four starts.
Dodgers: No starter announced yet for Friday's series opener at Colorado. Rookie Dennis Santana is a candidate for what would be his major league debut.
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