Clayton Kershaw’s strong pitches helps Los Angeles Dodgers beat Chicago Cubs 5-2: MLB Update
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ starter, Clayton Kershaw, tossed seven strong innings in the Club’s 5-2 triumph over the Chicago Cubs, in the first of three-game series at Dodger Stadium, on Monday May 2.
Kershaw gave an early run in the first inning to the Cubs’ Goevany Soto, but retaliated in a great fashion. Kershaw, then, pitched six strong innings, took out four batters and gave no walk. However, he again went loose in the eighth inning and allowed a
huge homer to the Cubs' slugger, Alfonso Soriano.
After going under one run deficit in first inning, the Dodgers’ batters came into action and scored two runs in second inning. Juan Uribe hit a runs batted in (RBI) tying single to deep right and second baseman, Ivan De Jesus, added a leading run in the
same inning. The Cubs’ starter, James Russell, strived to strike back, got success to some extent, but again went shaky in the fifth and gave three runs.
Jerry Sands began the fifth inning with a RBI double to deep right centre. Andre Ethier hit a run widening the lead to 5-1. The Cubs could have scored one more run in the seventh inning.
The Cubs were restricted to this score by the Dodgers’ strong pitching depth. After a promising seven-inning spell from Kershaw, reliever Vicente Padilla tossed shutout inning and the closer, Jonathan Broxton, pitched perfect inning for his sixth save in
seven games.
On the other hand, the Cubs’ starter Russell gave five runs on six hits, and made just three strikeouts in his forcedly ended four and 2/3 innings' spell. Russell, who was still looking for his second win of the season, now has 1-4 record with 8.15 ERA.
The reliever, Justin Berg, utilised his full strength to achieve win for his club and tossed 1 and 1/3 scoreless inning. The closer, Jeff Samardzija, too threw two shutout innings, but the Dodgers achieved a long lead, enough to make it to the win.
The Dodgers’ right-fielder, Andre Ethier with a single in fifth, increased his winning streak to 28 games. He is halfway to Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game streak and three short of Willie Davis’ 31-game streak. DiMaggio made this record in 1941 and Davis achieved
this in 1969.
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