Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Florida Marlins 8-0 to avoid series sweep - MLB Update
The Los Angeles Dodgers shut-out league rivals Florida Marlins 8-0 in the third game of the three game series at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, May 29 to avoid the series sweep.
The Dodgers’ starter Clayton Kershaw had an outstanding day with the ball as he struck-out ten batters allowed just two hits and walked just one batter over nine innings to earn his sixth win of the season. Kershaw threw 79 strikes of 116 pitches to improve
his record to 6-3 with a 2.62 ERA.
"It's a lot different team (Marlins) now," Kershaw, said reminding his previous shut-out against the same team two years ago. "They've got a lot of young guys that I played against in the minor leagues, and they're swinging the bat really well this year.
They got me a little bit in Florida last month, so I just wanted to come back out and attack them -- especially with a big lead. It always feels better to have eight runs on the board."
The Dodgers made four runs each in the third and fifth innings. Short-stop Rafael Furcal launched a 368-feet two-run homer off Marlins’ starter Ricky Nolasco to lead off 2-0 in the third inning. Then Jay Gibbons and Dioner Navarro each scored an RBI single
to take the lead to 4-0.
In the fifth inning, Kershaw entered the field as a batter and added an RBI single. Furcal scored another RBI and Casey Blake earned an RBI double to elevate the lead to an 8-0 unassailable position.
The right-hand hurler, Nolasco had a nightmare with the ball as he allowed fifteen hits over just five innings for his first loss of the season in his eleventh start. The 28-year-old pitcher allowed two walks to drop his record down to 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA.
"It just wasn't my day, obviously," said Nolasco, "They have a really good line-up over there. I fell behind some hitters and they made me pay for my mistakes. Even when I was ahead of guys, I couldn't put them away. You just have to shake it off."
However, closer Steve Cishek, entered the field to close the game for the Marlins in the sixth inning, threw a scoreless three innings and allowed just two hits. The batters however did not back him up and the Marlins lost their 21st game of the season.
The Marlins’ managed just two hits over 28 combined at-bats including four for top slugger Logan Morrison and three each for Mike Stanton, John Buck, Omar Infante, Emilio Bonifacio and Chris Coghlan.
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