Dodgers Highlights: Kershaw Flirts with Perfecto Early, Outman Breaks Out of Slump in Win

Make it two in a row for your boys in blue! The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw took down the Cardinals on Saturday as the ace put together another vintage performance. Kershaw flirted with a perfect game for 4 innings and became the first pitcher in the National League to get to 5 wins on the season. The Dodger offense got going with a little old fashioned run manufacturing starting with James Outman in the second inning… and that was just about it.

Before we spoil everything, let’s get into the highlights.

Mookie Betts led off the game with a single and the Dodgers got two baserunners on in the first but couldn’t capitalize as Chris Taylor and Max Muncy both struck out swinging to end the threat.

In the second inning, James Outman slapped a one out single up the middle to break an 0-11 mini slump. He stole second base on a Trayce Thompson strikeout and advanced to third on a wild throw from catcher Andrew Knizner. Outman immediately scored on an Austin Barnes single to put LA up 1-0 on his 4th hit of the season.

That score held for the rest of the game thanks in part to this play in the bottom of the fifth.

Clayton Kershaw had a perfect game going into that fifth inning until St. Louis center fielder Dylan Carlson ruined things with a one out single. It was around that time online and on the broadcast that people started whispering about the perfecto that was unfolding.

So, of course, the perfect game and no hitter were immediately lost.

He ultimately tossed 7 scoreless innings. More on that in a bit.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers had something cooking but fireballer Jordan Hicks made extremely quick work of Mookie Betts, striking him out on 2 pitches (thanks to a pitch clock violation). Mookie left 2 runners on base. It was a completely noncompetitive at-bat.

Moving to the top of the eighth, Evan Phillips pitched around traffic to toss a scoreless inning of relief.

Same as the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers left a couple ducks on the pond thanks in part to another great play in center field by Carlson robbing Miguel Vargas of at least an RBI single.

Brusdar Graterol picked up his second save with a clean ninth inning.

Final score: 1-0 Dodgers.

Quote of the Game

“We’re coming along in the bullpen and we’re coming along as a team.” – Austin Barnes

One Unexpected Stat

Freddie Freeman — yeah, that one — stole 2 bases on Saturday night, bringing his season total up to 3 bags. That’s the most on the club (tied with James Outman who also stole his third on Saturday).

Dodgers Pitching

The story of the game is obviously Clayton Kershaw who picked up career win number 202 and struck out 9 batters in 7 shut-out innings. He allowed just 2 hits to the Cardinals.

Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol used their newfound dad strength to toss two scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th to complete the combined shutout. Game time was just over 2 hours and 14 minutes.

What’s Up Next for the Dodgers?

LA goes for the series sweep against the Cards. Noah Syndergaard (0-3, 6.58 ERA) tries to get back on track in his sixth start of the year. St. Louis counters with right-hander Jake Woodford (1-2, 5.47 ERA).