Clayton Kershaw showcased an impressive performance on Sunday, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. This win marked Kershaw’s first since last August as he allowed just one run over five innings of play.
The 37-year-old left-hander, who threw 82 pitches during the game, recorded seven strikeouts while allowing six hits and issuing no walks. His last outing with a minimum of seven strikeouts occurred back in June 2023 against Cincinnati. Remarkably, Kershaw achieved his previous win against the Cardinals on August 18, 2024.
Offensively, Tommy Edman stood out for the Dodgers, driving in three runs through two hits and a sacrifice fly. Mookie Betts contributed to the scoreline with a home run, while Shohei Ohtani managed a leadoff double, ending the game with one hit in four at-bats.
St. Louis’s starting pitcher, Michael McGreevy, who was only seven years old when Kershaw made his major league debut in 2008 against the same team, also had some notable moments despite the loss. McGreevy, recalled from Triple-A Memphis, faced the Dodgers for the first time this season and allowed four runs over his six innings.
Los Angeles took an early lead in the second inning, with Edman executing an RBI single, and Hyeseong Kim hitting a two-run triple, putting the Dodgers ahead 3-0. Edman added another run-scoring double in the fourth inning. The Cardinals managed to score their only run against Kershaw in the fifth through a two-out RBI double by Masyn Winn.
In a significant play, Winn made a crucial defensive play in the second inning, preventing a further run when he made a close out at first on a hard grounder hit by Betts.
As Kershaw nears 3,000 career strikeouts—currently sitting at 17 shy—he improved his record to 12-6 against the Cardinals.
Looking ahead, the Dodgers will head to San Diego for a three-game series starting Monday night, with Dustin May taking the mound. The Cardinals, on the other hand, will face the Blue Jays in Toronto, with Andre Pallante scheduled to pitch.
Kershaw’s victory not only reinvigorates his season but also highlights the resilient spirit of the Dodgers as they look to build momentum in their upcoming matchups.