Sunday, August 18, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Clayton Kershaw was marvelous for six innings allowing no runs. Without the injured Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers struggled to score, but they scored enough runs to win, including Shohei Ohtani’s 39th homer. Despite Daniel Hudson allowing a solo home run, the bullpen was superb. The Los Angeles Dodgers finished a seven-game road trip with a 4-3 record when they inched out the Saint Louis Cardinals 2-to-1.
Freddie Freeman’s finger kept him out of the game. He will undergo more testing tomorrow in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers might activate Max Muncy earlier than planned if Freeman can’t play tomorrow.
Gavin Lux singled with two outs in the first but didn’t score thanks to a fabulous play in center field.
Clayton Kershaw struck out the first batter of the game. He walked the second batter but got a double play to face the minimum. He threw 92 mph.
Miguel Rojas singled to open the second inning. Kiké Hernàndez hit into a force play to erase Rojas. Austin Barnes walked. Because Nick Ahmed struck out, the Dodgers didn’t score.
Despite allowing a single, Kershaw faced the minimum in the second thanks to Barnes catching the runner stealing.
With an out in the third, Mookie Betts walked and went to third on Lux’s double. Teoscar Hernández walked to load the bases. Rojas hit into a double play, so the Dodgers didn’t score.
Kershaw had a perfect third on nine pitches.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the fourth.
Kershaw breezed through the fourth.
With an out in the fifth, Shohei Ohtani hit a laser for his 39th home run. Mookie Betts walked. Lux singled moving Betts to third. Rojas singled in Betts and advanced Lux to third.
With an out in the fifth, Kershaw allowed a single but pitched well to make that single to be harmless.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the sixth.
To open the sixth, Kershaw allowed two singles. He didn’t allow anything thanks to a double play.
The Dodgers didn’t score in the seventh.
Evan Phillips relieved Kershaw, who was great, in the seventh. With one out, Phillips allowed a single and uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runner to second. Phillips pitched a scoreless inning.
With an out in the eighth, Rojas singled, and Kiké Hernàndez walked. The Dodgers stranded the runners.
Daniel Hudson relieved Phillips in the eighth. With an out in the eighth, he allowed a solo home run.
Betts singled with two outs in the ninth but didn’t score.
Michael Kopech relieved Hudson in the ninth. With an out, Barnes committed an error allowing a runner. Kopech got a double play to preserve the victory.
