Aug 1 (The Sports Xchange) - Left-hander Clayton Kershaw
extended his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 37 while
leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Los
Angeles Angels on Saturday in front of 52,979 at Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw (9-6) retired the final 14 batters he faced,
permitted only two hits and a walk and finished with seven
strikeouts in eight innings.
The left-hander took the mound in the top of the ninth
inning to an ovation, but was replaced by right-handed closer
Kenley Jansen when C.J. Cron was announced as a pinch hitter.
David Murphy then replaced Cron and lined a single to right
field off Jansen before pinch-hitter Kole Calhoun followed with
a walk.
Jansen struck out second baseman Johnny Giavotella and
center fielder Mike Trout before first baseman Albert Pujols
dumped a broken-bat single down the left-field line to bring
Murphy home and send Calhoun to third base.
Jansen, however, induced shortstop Erick Aybar to pop out to
register his 19th save.
Catcher Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run home run and finished
3-for-4.
The Angels lost their fifth consecutive game to match their
longest losing streak this year.
The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth
inning.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick began the inning with a
single, took third base on first baseman Adrian Gonzalez's
single and scored on left fielder Scott Van Slyke's sacrifice
fly to the warning track in left field.
After right-hander Fernando Salas replaced left-handed
Angels starter Andrew Heaney, Grandal propelled Salas' 83 mph
slider over the center-field fence for his 15th home run of the
season.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia was ejected in the second
inning by plate umpire Chris Segal for arguing balls and
strikes.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)