Kershaw a winner in his first game at Tropicana Field
Clayton Kershaw worked into the seventh inning and Joc Pederson drove in two runs as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 7-3 interleague victory Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
In his first career appearance at Tropicana Field, Kershaw (4-0) took a shutout into the seventh inning, but both of his base runners scored in the frame after he left the game.
The left-hander struck out eight and gave up six hits as the Dodgers improved to 7-0 in his starts this season and have won 15 consecutive times he has taken the mound, going back to last season.
Austin Meadows had two hits and drove in a run as the Rays rallied with three runs in the seventh inning but could not close the gap any further.
Hunter Wood (1-1) started for the Rays and gave up an unearned run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts in two innings, followed by Jalen Beeks, who gave up five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers got their offense going early, helped by a miscue from Rays right fielder Avisail Garcia. Justin Turner singled to right in the first inning and when Garcia misplayed the ball for an error, Max Muncy was able to score from first base.
Turner made it 2-0 in the third inning on a sacrifice fly, and the Dodgers increased the lead to 3-0 an inning later on an RBI single from Austin Barnes.
Three consecutive RBI singles in the seventh inning from Enrique Hernandez, Corey Seager and Pederson increased the lead to 6-0. Pederson added an RBI double in the ninth.
The Rays closed the gap in their half of the seventh stating with a Willy Adames comebacker that hit right-hander Pedro Baez in the right leg. The ball rebounded into foul territory on the third base side as Daniel Robertson scored. Baez, who relieved Kershaw to face Adames, had to leave the game with a contusion.
The Rays then added an RBI single from Meadows and a run-scoring double from Tommy Pham against left-hander Scott Alexander.
The Dodgers defense halted a Rays scoring threat in the eighth inning when center fielder Alex Verdugo threw out Kevin Kiermaier at third base while trying to extend his hit to the left-center field wall into a triple.
--Field Level Media
