March 29, 2024

Kershaw, Dodgers dominates St. Louis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw completed a spectacular June with 13 strikeouts during seven innings of five-hit ball, and Andre Ethier hit a three-run homer in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

Kershaw (9-2) extended his career-best scoreless streak to 28 innings in his first home start since throwing his first career no-hitter June 18 against Colorado. The left-hander went 6-0 with an 0.82 ERA in June, yielding four runs in 44 innings and striking out 61.

Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez had run-scoring hits for the Dodgers, who took three of four from St. Louis in a rematch of last season’s NL championship series.

With 12 wins in 16 games, Los Angeles (47-37) has pulled virtually even with the slumping Giants (46-36) atop the NL West.

Royals 5, Angels 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Omar Infante delivered another big hit against the Angels, singling home the winning run for Kansas City with one out in the ninth inning.

Lorenzo Cain hit three doubles for the Royals, finishing with four hits and two RBIs.

An error by second baseman Howie Kendrick set up the game-ending hit by Infante, whose grand slam Friday night helped beat the Angels.

Infante’s single came against Los Angeles newcomer Jason Grilli (0-3). Pittsburgh traded its former closer to the Angels on Friday.

Greg Holland (1-2) struck out two in the ninth.

White Sox 4, Blue Jays 0

TORONTO (AP) — Moises Sierra hit a solo home run, Jose Quintana won back-to-back starts for the first time this season and Chicago won its third straight.

Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI single as the White Sox posted their first shutout of the season and won three straight for the first time in more than a month. Chicago swept a home series against Cleveland from May 26-28. They’d gone 8-17 since before Friday’s 5-4 victory began the current streak.

Quintana (5-7) allowed three hits in seven innings, improving to 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA in six starts against the Blue Jays. Quintana walked two and struck out seven.

Facing his former team for the second time, Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle (10-5) lost for the fourth time in five starts, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings.

Rockies 10, Brewers 4

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Colorado scored three runs in a wild fifth-inning that featured two Milwaukee errors, avoiding a season sweep to the Brewers.

Wilin Rosario took advantage of the gaffes with runners on first and second. His shot to third was booted by normally sure-handed third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

One run had already scored when the ball squirted into foul territory before shortstop Jeff Bianchi threw home high and offline trying to get Corey Dickerson. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy then threw errantly attempting to get Rosario at third and Rosario hustled home safely for a six-run lead.

Jorge De La Rosa (8-6) got the win despite allowing three wild pitches and hitting one batter. Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo (5-5) was tagged for 10 hits in five innings.

Twins 3, Rangers 2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kendrys Morales had a tiebreaking double off closer Joakim Soria in the ninth inning and Minnesota snapped its 10-game road losing streak.

Morales’ line drive landed just inside the foul line in left field, and a leaping security guard avoided touching the ball, allowing pinch-runner Sam Fuld to score from first base.

A ground-rule double would have forced Fuld to stop at third, and Soria (1-3) struck out the final two hitters of the inning.

Kyle Gibson (7-6) matched a career high by going eight innings and scattering eight hits. Perkins struck out the side in the ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances.