The Walk Off: Clayton Kershaw ends Dodgers six game losing streak
Welcome to The Walk Off, the nightly MLB recap from Big League Stew. Here we’ll look at the top performers of the night, show you a must-see highlight and rundown the scoreboard. First, we start with a game you need to know about.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers needed him most, ace Clayton Kershaw rose to the occasion. This isn’t necessarily a new development. Kershaw has shown the ability to carry a team on his back with an exceptional start throughout his career. What happened Sunday was a little different, though.
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With the Dodgers on a six game losing streak, Kershaw took the mound looking to right the ship. As he’s done so many times before, he delivered. Kershaw tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres in a 1-0 victory. He struck out an incredible 14 batters during the start. The streak had been broken, and it was all thanks to Kershaw.
No, really, Kershaw singlehandedly won the game for Los Angeles.
He not only kept the Padres off the board for the entire game, but he was responsible for the game’s only RBI. In the bottom of the third inning, Kershaw hit an RBI single to center field, scoring A.J. Ellis. It was the only run the Dodgers scored all game, and the only run Kershaw wound up needing to pick up the victory.
With the win, Kershaw now has a 1.96 ERA on the season. After halting the losing streak, the Dodgers are 13-13 and still sit atop the National League West.
TOP PERFORMERS
Nolan Arenado: Power may play up in Coors Field, but Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado’s power will play anywhere. The 25-year-old proved as much Sunday, bashing his league-leading 11th home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Of the 11 home runs Arenado has hit this season, six have come at home and five have come on the road. He also added a single during the 6-3 win, finishing the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Marcus Stroman: The birthday boy delivered. On the day he turned 25, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman tossed a fantastic outing against the Tampa Bay Rays. Stroman lasted eight innings, giving up one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out nine in the 5-1 win. He also improved to 4-0 with the performance. Not a bad way to spend a birthday.
[Elsewhere: A-Rod has a very strange way to dry his bat]
Brett Lawrie: Seems like a different player has contributed in each Chicago White Sox win this season. It was Lawrie’s turn Sunday. Lawrie had a tremendous series against the Baltimore Orioles, but saved his best effort for the finale. He went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, and walked in his two other plate appearances, reaching base all five times he stepped in. Lawrie is now hitting .290/.377/.505 over 106 plate appearances with the Sox. He scored one run and notched one RBI in the 7-1 victory.
Doug Fister: The Houston Astros expected a comeback season when they signed Doug Fister in the offseason, and finally saw a glimpse of that Sunday. Fister lasted 6 2/3 innings against the Oakland Athletics, giving up just one run on seven hits. He walked one and struck out five during the 2-1 win, lowering his ERA to 4.60 in the process.
Clayton Kershaw: But we already covered him.
MUST-SEE HIGHLIGHT
The Astros haven’t gotten out to a great start, but things seemed to be clicking Sunday. Pitcher Doug Fister was excellent, and some of that credit belongs to his fielders. George Springer came through for Fister in the bottom of the seventh inning. With Houston up 2-0, Coco Crisp hit a line shot out to right field that looked like it would at least wind up being a single. Springer charged in at the ball, and dove at the last second, securing it in his glove. The play prevented the leadoff batter from reaching base in a tight game. If that hit fell in, things could have turned out much differently in the 2-1 win.
THE SCOREBOARD
Giants 6, Mets 1: Madison Bumgarner tossed six scoreless innings, and Hunter Pence notched three RBI, and hit his fifth home run, during the victory.
Reds 6, Pirates 5: A John Jaso home run tied things up in the bottom of the ninth, but Scott Schebler’s double in the top of the 11th clinched the victory for Cincinnati.
Brewers 14, Marlins 5: Tom Koehler was charged with eight runs as the Brewers offense exploded against Miami. Seven members of Milwaukee managed at least one RBI.
Tigers 6, Twins 5: Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s RBI double in the eighth inning salvaged an otherwise poor start by Mike Pelfrey.
Nationals 6, Cardinals 1: Bryce Harper may have struck out in all four of his at-bats, but the rest of the Nats’ offense picked him up and Max Scherzer pitched like an ace.
Braves 4, Cubs 3: Addison Russell made up for a big error with a clutch single in the ninth to tie things up, but a Nick Markakis sac fly wound up winning things for Atlanta.
Phillies 2, Indians 1: Vince Velasquez out-dueled Danny Salazar to earn his fourth win of the season.
Angels 9, Rangers 6: Garrett Richards had to leave the game early due to dehydration, but his offense picked him up. Six Angels managed at least one RBI in the win.
Royals 4, Mariners 1: Ian Kennedy was solid over five innings while Eric Hosmer hit his fourth home run of the season in the win.
Red Sox 8, Yankees 7: David Price gave up six runs over seven innings, but was bailed out by a late Christian Vazquez home run.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
