Phillies Fall To Dodgers, 2-0
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Clayton Kershaw allowed two hits over six innings, Carl Crawford hit a solo homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 Friday night.
Kershaw (3-1) bounced back from his roughest outing in two years with an excellent performance, striking out nine. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed seven runs in 1 2-3 innings — the second-shortest outing of his career — in an 18-7 loss to Arizona last Saturday.
Roberto Hernandez (2-2) allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings in his first start since May 9. Hernandez pitched out of the bullpen the past two weeks because the Phillies didn't need a fifth starter.
The Dodgers have won three of four. The Phillies have lost three in a row, tying their season-low of five games under .500.
Four relievers combined to finish off the three-hitter. Brian Wilson had a perfect eighth and Kenley Jansen closed it out for his 14th save in 15 tries.
Dee Gordon led off the game with a single, stole two bases and scored on Yasiel Puig's single. Crawford led off the second with a drive out to right-center for his fourth homer of the year.
After a 43-minute rain delay in the top of the fourth, the Phillies wasted several opportunities with runners in scoring position the rest of the game. They had runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth after Carlos Ruiz walked and Chase Utley hit a double, the first hit off Kershaw.
But the hard-throwing lefty escaped the jam by striking out Marlon Byrd, Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf. Each went down swinging at pitches in the dirt that required catcher A.J. Ellis to throw to first.
They had runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth, but Utley flied out, Byrd fouled out and Howard struck out looking.
Reliever Brandon League replaced Kershaw to start the seventh and left after loading the bases. J.P. Howell entered and retired pinch-hitter Domonic Brown on a sinking liner that Crawford caught sliding. Ben Revere inexplicably didn't tag up and stayed at third. Jimmy Rollins then grounded into a third-to-home fielder's choice. Ruiz flied out to right to end the threat.
The Phillies were shut out for the sixth time, including fifth at home. They 8-13 at Citizens Bank Park.
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