Picture Credit: Andrew Gillen
When you face Clayton Kershaw, you can't expect to score many runs. When you don't score any runs, you can't expect to beat Clayton Kershaw.
Unfortunately for the Phillies, that is exactly what happened in tonight's ballgame. The Dodgers ace was too much for the team that was already shut out the previous night. In fact, the game was over just moments after it began. Kyle Kendrick, coming off multiple disappointing outings, allowed the first four men to reach base. Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig were each able to single to begin the first inning. Then, tonight's first basemen John Mayberry Jr. booted an Adrian Gonzalez ground ball, which would allow Crawford to come around third and score. Kendrick did follow up by plunking Hanley Ramirez, but secured a double play by Andre Either and a groundout by A.J. Ellis to end the early threat. 1-0 Dodgers.
Both pitchers fared well for he next four innings. But the incredibly-hot Dodgers offense appeared again in the fifth. Juan Uribe doubled with one out in the inning to put a runner inscoring position for pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Naturally, he followed with a double of his own to help his cause and increase the Dodger lead to 2-0.
It took eight innings for the Phillies to get any sort of sustained rally going against Kershaw. In the eighth, Casper Wells doubled and Mayberry walked with one away. With two runners on, Erik Krats would pop up to Gonzalez at first. Then, with Carlos Ruiz pinch hitting, Kershaw threw a wild pitch to advance Wells and Mayberry. However, Chooch was set down on strikes to halt any sort of Philly rally. The score remained the same.
For insurance purposes, the Dodgers would add a few more runs in the top of the ninth. With Luis Garcia now pitching, Hanley Ramirez would single to begin the frame. A wild pitch would advance Ramirez to second. However, he was picked off trying to steal third for the second out of the inning. A.J. Ellis would then follow with a walk, and Skip Schumaker would be hit by a pitch to put pressure on Garcia. Then, reminiscent of his moonshot in the 2010 NLCS against the Phillies, Juan Uribe blasted a three-run homerun to left. The 5-0 lead would hold for Brandon League in the last half of the inning, and the Dodgers improved to 42-8 in their last 50 games, the best such streak since the 1944 St. Louis Cardinals.
Not many people could say the didn't see this coming. The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have been on an absolute rampage of late, and the Phillies have barely been able to hold it together. Kyle Kendrick actually pitched pretty well, holding his own against Kershaw for six innings. However, a lack of run support did him in. It seems the goal for the rest of this season will be to play well for manager Ryne Sandberg and not finish in the basement of the NL East. Tomorrow's contest will pit Cole Hamels against former Miami Marlin Ricky Nolasco in 1:35 action.
