Kershaw shuts out Giants to complete 3-game sweep
SAN FRANCISCO -- It may not be entirely accurate to make larger statements about teams based on one series, but it certainly is tempting at times like these.
The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Giants with a 4-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park, with marquee acquisition Hanley Ramirez driving in runs in all three games for Los Angeles. The Giants, who were shut out two games in a row, made no deal to match the Ramirez trade.
The Giants had a three-game lead in the National League West when the series began. Now the teams are in a virtual tie with just over two months to go in the season, and just two days before the trading deadline.
"Obviously any time you get out of here with a sweep is awesome," Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw said. "It puts us right back in the middle of things."
The reigning Cy Young winner, Kershaw had faced the Giants two other times this season, and both times he pitched well but was outdueled by Ryan Vogelsong. The pitchers met again Sunday, but this time the outcome was reversed.
The Dodgers got a couple runs against Vogelsong in the fourth inning. Juan Rivera lined a single into left field to lead off the inning. Matt Kemp followed with a single. Andre Ethier's deep fly ball to center sent Rivera to third.
Ramirez then hit a potential double-play ball to third baseman Marco Scutaro, but Ramirez hustled down the line and narrowly beat the relay, allowing the Dodgers to score a run.
"It ends up being a big play because it gets us on the board and gets us a lead," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He gets us a run on a ground ball. Nine out of 10 guys are out, and he beats it."
It was the seventh RBI for Ramirez in five games since the Dodgers acquired him from the Marlins.
"He's a five-tool player," Kershaw said of Ramirez. "He's got superstar talent. Any time you add a guy like that and put him in the No. 5 hole is pretty special. When you put him with the guys in the 3-4 (Kemp and Ethier), it's pretty special. We understand this is our year. There are no excuses."
The Dodgers then caught a break for their second run. Scutaro appeared to lose James Loney's popup in the sun, and the Giants' third baseman dropped it for an error. The Dodgers capitalized when Luis Cruz followed with a double down the left-field line, driving in an unearned run.
Vogelsong allowed just one earned run, and he became the NL ERA leader, at 2.22, even though he took the loss.
The Giants didn't even have many chances against Kershaw. The only time they got a runner into scoring position against the Dodgers lefty was in the second, when they had runners at first and second with two outs and No. 8 hitter Brandon Crawford at the plate. Crawford hit a bouncer back to the mound.
The Giants hit into double plays in the fourth and sixth, scuttling potential rallies. In the sixth, Gregor Blanco reached on a leadoff single, but he was doubled off first when he got a bad read on Ryan Theriot's lineout to second baseman Mark Ellis.
"He kept the ball down and over the plate," Giants outfielder Angel Pagan said. "He didn't make a lot of mistakes and worked his pitches. When he's on like that, it's tough to get runs."
Kershaw bounced back nicely from his worst start of the season, when he gave up eight runs in St. Louis.
The Dodgers added a two insurance runs in the eighth, on RBI singles by Cruz and Ellis.
Notes: Cruz extended his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest of the season for the Dodgers...The Dodgers' 10-0 victory over the Giants on Saturday was the team's biggest margin of victory in a shutout against the Giants since 1997...Vogelsong has completed at least six innings in all 19 of his starts this season, the longest streak to start a season for the Giants since Atlee Hammaker went at least six in his first 21 starts in 1983. Vogelsong also has 18 quality starts this season, second only to Washington's Jordan Zimmerman (19) in the majors.
