Daily Clips

June 25, 2017

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

DODGERS.COM LA at 50? Dodger that! Kershaw schools Rox- Thomas Harding and Joshua Thornton Kershaw settles in for 11th victory—Joshua Thornton Seager day to day with hamstring strain—Joshua Thornton Dodgers eye 10th straight win, sweep of Rox—Thomas Harding LA TIMES Clayton Kershaw overcomes a shaky start and the Dodgers blank the Rockies 4-0—Mike DiGiovanna Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager has a mild strain of right hamstring— Mike DiGiovanna Former MLB pitchers criticize handling of young pitchers, including Dodgers' Julio Urias — Mike DiGiovanna OC REGISTER Dodgers top Colorado Rockies, 4-0, for ninth straight win —Joey Kaufman Dodgers’ Corey Seager day-to-day with hamstring strain - Joey Kaufman On deck: Rockies at Dodgers, Sunday, 1 p.m. - Joey Kaufman ESPN Kenley Jansen changed countries -- then changed positions—Marly Rivera Kershaw, Pederson lead Dodgers to 9th consecutive win—The Associated Press TRUE BLUE LA Dodgers shut out Rockies for 9th straight win —Eric Stephen Alex Verdugo extends hitting streak to 15 games, OKC wins 4-1 —Craig Minami Corey Seager avoids DL, day to day with Grade 1 hamstring strain —Eric Stephen DODGER INSIDER Nifty fifty—Kershaw avoids danger in Dodgers’ 50th victory —Matthew Mesa Justin Turner has turned into one of the game’s best hitters —Cary Osborne NBC LA Dodgers on Cloud Nine After 4-0 Shutout of Rockies —Michael Duarte

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

DODGERS.COM LA at 50? Dodger that! Kershaw schools Rox By Thomas Harding and Joshua Thornton LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers got a solid start from ace Clayton Kershaw and took advantage of some wild Rockies pitching to cruise to a 4-0 victory on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, becoming the second team in the Majors and first in the National League to reach 50 wins. Kershaw worked six scoreless innings with eight punchouts for his 11th victory of the season and 137th of his career, moving the lefty past Johnny Podres for sole possession of ninth place in franchise history. The Dodgers have won a season-high nine straight games, as well as each of Kershaw's last 10 outings. "It's incredible. It just seems like every night you find a different way to win," Kershaw said, "and just the confidence you have coming to the field like there's no way you're going to lose." For the Rockies, their losing streak has reached a season-high four games after they lost control of the game early. Joc Pederson's leadoff shot in the third inning gave the Dodgers 16 straight games with at least one home run, tied for third-longest streak in franchise history. Pederson sent a first-pitch fastball from Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood 421 feet into center field to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. "We're playing really well," Pederson said. "It's fun to be a part of. We're going to continue sticking to what got us here and try to keep it going." Chatwood continued to struggle in the third. A single by Yasmani Grandal and an error by right fielder Raimel Tapia allowed Justin Turner to score from first, padding the Dodgers lead to 3-0. One out later, Chatwood issued three straight walks, the last to Kershaw with the bases loaded as the Dodgers took a 4-0 lead. "When you face a guy like Clayton, that opposing pitcher is going to be jacked up," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "There was some 97s from Chatwood, and he was max effort from pitch one. When you're doing that, it's hard to sustain. When you take that on top of an offense that is very disciplined outside the strike zone, it gets tough." Chatwood lasted just 3 1/3 innings and walked a career-high eight. "I felt like I beat myself tonight, and that's pretty frustrating to go home to," Chatwood said. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Here's your chance … : The Rockies had dreams of a big first. DJ LeMahieu doubled, Nolan Arenado singled and Mark Reynolds walked with one out. It took seven pitches for Kershaw to squash that hope, by fanning Ian Desmond and Trevor Story.

"He's a good pitcher," Desmond said. "Today he got us. He is who he is for a reason, but we are who we are for a reason, also. We've got to do better putting runs on the board for our starting pitchers, and that starts with me." Yes, it was a 33-pitch inning to start the lefty's night, but he rebounded by shutting down the second and third on 10 pitches apiece, then he needed just 17 to strike out the side in the fourth. "He's a strike-thrower," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "You look at walks per nine innings and his strikeouts, he's not pitching around guys. He's coming at guys with three quality pitches." That guy knows the strike zone, too: Chatwood entered with a 2.41 road ERA. He'd put together four straight quality starts, and even had one at home. But it all fell apart during the three-run third that included four walks. The one that hurt most was to Kershaw with the bases loaded -- on four pitches -- for the Dodgers' fourth run. STILL UNCLEAR, EVEN AFTER THE CLARIFICATION In the bottom of the sixth with Chase Utley on third and Rockies lefty Chris Rusin pitching, the umpires asked Rusin to declare whether he would use the windup or the stretch. Rusin is among the pitchers whose windup and stretch are similar. The batter was Turner, who is aware of Rusin's penchant for quick pitches. History says he dislikes it; before the rule for double-play breakup slides expressly forbid it, he once slid over the bag and took out Arenado (who, in a shift, was covering second). This was after Rusin had quick-pitched Turner. So Turner asked umpires if Rusin could quick-pitch if he declared he was working from the windup. Third-base umpire and crew chief Fieldin Culbreth said no. Rusin asked for a clarification, and a mound conference -- somewhat animated -- with umpires, players and Black ensued. "They said I could alter it slower, but I couldn't alter it faster," Rusin said. "I asked why and they just said, 'You can't.' That's all I know so far. I'm still confused." SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Dodgers' 16 straight games with a homer is tied for the franchise's third-longest streak since moving to Los Angeles in 1957. UPON FURTHER REVIEW In the sixth, Utley smacked a ball that likely would have hit off the right-field wall, but a fan reached over the wall and caught it. The umpires called for fan interference and awarded Utley second base. The Dodgers challenged to make sure the ball wasn't headed over the wall for a homer, but a review confirmed the ruling of a double. WHAT'S NEXT

Rockies: Lefty Tyler Anderson (3-5, 5.75 ERA) makes his first start since May 30 -- before left knee inflammation sent him to the disabled list -- in the series finale with the Dodgers on Sunday at 2:10 p.m. MT. Dodgers: Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.87 ERA) will get the start in the series finale against the Rockies. The righty earned his first win since June 6th in his last start against the Mets and sports a 2.87 ERA on the year. First pitch slated for 1:10 p.m. PT. Kershaw settles in for 11th victory By Joshua Thornton LOS ANGELES -- If the first inning was going to be an indication of how Clayton Kershaw's night would go in the Dodgers' 4-0 win against the Rockies on Saturday, then it seemed the career-high four home runs he allowed in his previous start were going to have a negative carryover. With one out and the bases loaded after allowing a double, single and issuing a walk, the Rockies were in position to jump on Kershaw early. The Dodgers' ace and three-time National League Cy Young Award winner stayed composed and used a combination of his fastball and slider to strike out Ian Desmond and Trevor Story to escape the inning unscathed, though the Rockies still seemed to have the upper hand after running Kershaw's pitch count to 33. "It's rough first inning there throwing that many pitches," Kershaw said. "It kind of made it tougher to get through the game, unfortunately. You just try to limit the damage in that situation. First inning, for me, it's tough to settle in. That's a really good lineup over there, and they're going to make you pay for some mistakes." After the rough opening frame, Kershaw settled in and retired 13 in a row before again running into trouble in the fifth. Back-to-back two-out singles by Chris Rusin and Charlie Blackmon put runners on the corners for DJ LeMahieu, but Kershaw's reliable curveball got LeMahieu to line out to third. Kershaw finished having thrown six scoreless innings on four hits and a walk, with eight strikeouts. "He found a way to get through that first inning," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "And after that, he kind of hit his stride and was where he needed to be. Pitch count got up there early, and for him to get through six innings and then get to the 'pen was great." Roberts mentioned earlier in the week that Kershaw would come out a little more amped to shake off his previous start, and it showed en route to his 11th win of the season and his 137th of his career, moving him to ninth place on the franchise wins list. "Obviously they're a really good team over there," Kershaw said. "I think that's a team we're going to have to beat down the stretch. It's important to get these wins now, especially when we're playing so well." Roberts added: "He was on edge. I think that every time he takes the mound he's on edge. Tonight I think there was even more, I guess, if that's even possible."

Seager day to day with hamstring strain By Joshua Thornton LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers All-Star candidate shortstop Corey Seager is day to day after an MRI exam revealed a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring, manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday's matchup with the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Seager was replaced at the start of the third inning of the Dodgers' 6-1 win vs. the Rockies on Friday. He felt the hamstring tighten while advancing to second on the throw following his RBI single in the second inning. Seager stayed in the game and scored on Justin Turner's single, but he went directly to the clubhouse to get treatment when he returned to the dugout. "It would be a huge void when you're playing a premium defensive position," Roberts said, "and you lose your shortstop and arguably your best hitter, it's a big blow. We talked about the short view, the long view ... to put him in harm's way to potentially have him miss more than he needs to with a Grade 1 would be irresponsible." Seager ranked second at shortstop in the latest update of voting for the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot. He is third on the team in home runs with 12 and has 39 RBIs. Worth noting Kenta Maeda will make a spot start on Tuesday to give the rotation an extra day of rest, Roberts said. Maeda, who was moved to the bullpen on June 7, made a spot start for the same purpose last Sunday, holding the Reds to one run on three hits in five innings in Cincinnati. Then he pitched one inning of relief on Friday against the Rockies, recording one strikeout. "I think, over the last three appearances, he's throwing the baseball really well," Roberts said. "I just expect Kenta to keep doing what he's been doing and attack with his mix and get guys out." Dodgers eye 10th straight win, sweep of Rox By Thomas Harding Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson believes 22 days off helped his left knee, which gave him trouble through the early part of the season. Dodgers righty Brandon McCarthy has been pitching effectively through right knee tendinitis. They'll match knees and arms Sunday in the finale of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles is riding a season-high nine-game winning streak and is on a 15-1 run. After a rough April to start his second season, Anderson was on fire for most of May, recording a 2.55 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 21 hits and seven walks over four starts. But his knee injury flared up May 30 in a loss to the Mariners. He returned from the disabled list with a scoreless relief inning on Thursday against the D-backs, and now he is back in the rotation.

McCarthy's knee has been a problem since Spring Training and it flared up on May 27, when he threw six scoreless innings in a victory over the Cubs. In the four starts since the onset of the issue, McCarthy has a 1.59 ERA while holding opponents to a .218 batting average. Things to know about this game • Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez didn't start the last two games because of a sore right shoulder, which he said he hurt on a swing Thursday. He's unlikely to start Sunday and continues to undergo treatment, but it doesn't look like a disabled-list situation. So far the team hasn't ordered an MRI exam, but he hasn't taken batting practice or hit indoors the last two days. "It hurts when I overextend," he said. "Just trying to get it right." • Last year, Anderson went 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers. This year hasn't gone nearly as well, as he's 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA in three starts vs. L.A., with 12 hits and three home runs in 15 2/3 innings. • Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is 3-for-13 with two solo home runs in his career against McCarthy, who is 2-3 with a 4.57 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 10 walks against the Rockies. • Anderson said he will continue to wear a brace on his left knee. He wore one while in pain. Now he says it offers support.

LA TIMES

Clayton Kershaw overcomes a shaky start and the Dodgers blank the Rockies 4-0 By Mike DiGiovanna Dave Roberts could see this coming last Tuesday, the day after Clayton Kershaw gave up four home runs in a game for the first time in his career during a shoddy 6 1/3-inning, six-run, six-hit effort against the New York Mets. “I think Clayton’s pretty good about turning the page,” the Dodgers manager said in the wake of Kershaw’s brutal start, which the left-hander punctuated by kicking the dugout bench in frustration. “But I wouldn’t want to be the Rockies come Saturday.” The wrath of Kershaw was felt Saturday night in Dodger Stadium, where the three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up four hits across six shutout innings in a 4-0 victory over Colorado. Kershaw survived a shaky 33-pitch first inning in which he escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam. He needed only 70 pitches to breeze through the next five innings to improve to 11-2 with a 2.47 ERA.

Kershaw struck out eight, walked one and kept the potent Rockies in the yard, no small feat for a pitcher who has been tagged for a career-high 17 homers in a season that hasn’t reached its halfway point. “He was on edge,” Roberts said. “Every time he takes the mound, he’s on edge, but tonight, I think there was even more, if that’s even possible. He was amped up and frustrated early on with some execution. Then he settled in nicely.” Relievers Brandon Morrow, Pedro Baez and Sergio Romo covered the final three innings for the Dodgers, who improved to 50-26, extended their win streak to nine and won for the 15th time in 16 games, a stretch in which they’ve outscored the Nationals, Reds, Indians, Mets and Rockies 108-57. And to think, Kershaw barely survived the first inning. Former MLB pitchers criticize handling of young pitchers, including Dodgers' Julio Urias Charlie Blackmon kicked off the game with a seven-pitch at-bat that ended with a line out to left field. DJ LeMahieu doubled to left, and Nolan Arenado capped a seven-pitch at-bat with an infield single to the shortstop hole. Mark Reynolds fouled off three two-strike pitches en route to a nine-pitch walk to load the bases. That’s when Kershaw broke out the heavy mettle. With his 30th pitch, Kershaw struck out Ian Desmond with a sharp slider in the dirt. With his 33rd pitch, he blew a 93 mph fastball by Trevor Story for a called strike three, pumping his fist as he stepped off the mound. Threat defused. “You have to have that mindset where you can’t give in—that’s the biggest thing,” Kershaw said. “That old cliché, one pitch at a time, really holds true. You kind of forget about what happened, you try to make that next pitch and just keep doing that until they take you out.” Roberts wasn’t so concerned with the fact that the Rockies loaded the bases with one out. It was that Kershaw’s pitch count was rising so rapidly. “You’re trying to win the game, and we feel very comfortable with Clayton on the mound,” Roberts said. “But when you’re approaching 30 pitches and you have one out, it starts to get a little dicey there. I didn’t get to the point where we needed to get somebody up, but there is a point where you don’t want to put him in harm’s way.” Roberts said Kershaw’s ability to “find another gear, another level,” and make high-pressure pitches allows him to work his way out of such jams. “Sometimes when you get a guy with his reputation on the mound, guys tend to squeeze the bat a little bit harder with guys are in scoring position,” Roberts said. “You take that, on top of Clayton executing pitches, and it’s tough.”

The punch-outs started a string in which Kershaw retired 13 straight batters, seven by strikeout, before reliever Chris Rusin and Blackmon singled with two outs in the fifth. LeMahieu lined out to third to end the inning. Kershaw, mixing his 92- to 94-mph fastballs with hard sliders and occasional looping curves, struck out the side in the fourth, Reynolds looking at 93 mph fastball, Desmond swinging at an elevated 92 mph fastball and Story swinging at a 75 mph curve. His best pitch of the night may have come in the fifth, when he struck out Tom Murphy looking with a knee-high, 92-mph fastball on the outside corner. Kershaw retired the side in order in the sixth. The Dodgers took advantage of two walks by Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood to score their first run in the second inning, when Enrique Hernandez rolled an RBI single to left. Chatwood opened the third with a center-cut 94 mph fastball to Joc Pederson, who did not miss it. Pederson crushed a towering 421-foot drive to straightaway center for his sixth homer of the season and a 2-0 lead, yelling something toward the Dodgers dugout before beginning his home-run trot. Sitting next to the Dodgers dugout in a wheelchair was Ziggy Lazaro, an 11-year-old from Los Angeles with spinal muscular atrophy who was named co-manager for the day as part of ESPN’s Make-A-Wish program. Pederson and Lazaro met before the game. “Joc was very happy that Ziggy penciled him in at center field and hit him second,” Roberts said before the game. “[Joc] said when I’m just the manager, he hits eighth. He was happy Ziggy was managing today.” Pederson’s shot gave the Dodgers homers in 16 straight games, tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history. The last time the Dodgers homered in 16 straight games was July 24-Aug. 7, 1956. Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager has a mild strain of right hamstring By Mike DiGiovanna An MRI exam revealed that Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager suffered a mild strain of his right hamstring Friday night, an injury that will prevent him from starting for several games but might not be severe enough to send him to the 10-day disabled list. Manager Dave Roberts said the Seager was available to pinch-hit Saturday night “if the opportunity presents itself to tie or win the game.” The Dodgers will monitor Seager for several days and decide by Tuesday or Wednesday whether to put him on the DL. Utility man Enrique Hernandez started at shortstop Saturday.

The Dodgers have absorbed injuries to several position players, including first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, center fielder Joc Pederson, second baseman Logan Forsythe and left fielder Andrew Toles, but the loss of Seager for an extended period would be a significant blow. The left-handed-hitting Seager, who bats second, was a unanimous choice for National League rookie of the year last season, hitting .308 with an .877 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 26 homers, 40 doubles, 72 RBIs and 105 runs. He’s batting .298 with a .909 OPS, 12 homers, 19 doubles, 39 RBIs and a team-leading 56 runs. He hit three homers and drove in six runs in the Dodgers’ win over the New York Mets on Tuesday. “It would be a huge void,” Roberts said. “When you’re playing a premium defensive position, and you lose your shortstop and arguably your best hitter, it’s a big blow.” Seager had singles to right field in each of his first two at-bats Friday but felt the hamstring give a little on his initial step out of the box on his second hit, a run-scoring single. He took second on the throw home and the hamstring cramped as he pulled into the bag. Having suffered two right hamstring strains and a left hamstring tear in the minor leagues, “I know when it’s really bad,” Seager said, “and this wasn’t.” Former MLB pitchers criticize handling of young pitchers, including Dodgers' Julio Urias Rotation return Kenta Maeda, who struggled for two months and lost his grip on a rotation spot in early June, will start Tuesday night against the Angels. Roberts said he will give the other five starters extra rest by pushing them back a day. Rich Hill will start Monday against the Angels, and left-handers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood will start Wednesday and Thursday in Angel Stadium. Maeda has given up two earned runs and six hits, striking out 12 batters and waking one, in 10 innings of his last three appearances, a start and two relief outings. “He’s thrown the baseball really well,” Roberts said. “I want to keep guys current, relevant, and on other side, giving the other guys an extra day makes sense.” Get Ziggy with it Roberts hosted a special guest Saturday — Ziggy Lazaro, an 11-year-old from Los Angeles who was born with spinal muscular atrophy and has been confined to a wheelchair since he was 2. Ziggy, a Dodgers fan “since I was a 2-year-old with a Dodgers shirt,” was named co-manager for the day as part of ESPN’s Make-A-Wish program. He listed Clayton Kershaw, Saturday’s starter, as his favorite player. He toured the field, clubhouse, weight room, coaches’ room, food room and manager’s office before the game, meeting numerous players along the way. He sat next to the Dodgers dugout during the game.

“He’s a special young man,” Roberts said, “and he made a lot of people happy today.” Former MLB pitchers criticize handling of young pitchers, including Dodgers' Julio Urias By Mike DiGiovanna The plan to preserve Julio Urias, a precocious pitching prospect worthy of protection crafted by Dodgers executives, team doctors, members of the training staff and Urias’ own representatives, crumbled inside a triple-A ballpark in Oklahoma City on June 10. Urias threw a pitch. The anterior capsule in his left shoulder tore. He finished the inning and threw two more. A day later, his shoulder felt stiff. He did not know it yet, but his season was over. The banality of the particulars should not diminish their gravity. A bright future, perhaps the brightest in the organization, has turned cloudy. Team doctor Neal ElAttrache will repair Urias’ shoulder on Tuesday. Urias will require 12 to 14 months of rehabilitation, according to Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations. Friedman defended the organization’s handling of the 20-year-old Urias, who was the first teenager to pitch for the Dodgers since Fernando Valenzuela, while acknowledging the severity of the injury. “He had high expectations for helping us win in 2017, as did we,” Friedman said. “That’s taken a significant blow. But our focus now is doing everything we can to get him back as healthy as we can to help us for many years to come.” For much of these past three seasons, the Dodgers grappled with a conundrum created by Urias. His talent exceeded his physical readiness. He could do things on a baseball diamond that team officials worried his body could not handle. He belonged as a member of the starting rotation; his arm did not possess the stamina to handle the assignment. The riddle will not end when Urias lands on the operating table. It will become more complicated. Friedman suggested Urias could pitch in 2018. Yet the history of pitchers who undergo this type of surgery is checkered. Former New York Mets ace Johan Santana was never the same. Neither was former Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang. Another Yankee, Michael Pineda, missed two major league seasons. The procedure is far less common than an elbow reconstruction like Tommy John surgery. Friedman admitted he despaired when he heard the diagnosis. His spirits rose after the medical staff provided more detail. A capsule usually ruptures because of overuse. Urias suffered an “acute” tear, Friedman explained, and neither his labrum nor his rotator cuff showed signs of damage. Ample scar tissue is common with this type of injury, but not in Urias’ case, Friedman said. “Dr. ElAttrache is really confident that we’ll be able to take care of this and get him back to his accustomed level,” Friedman said. The Dodgers never saw Urias reach that level in 2017. After he posted a 3.39 earned-run average in the majors last season and logged 127 2/3 innings, the team intended for Urias to play a significant role this

season. Cognizant of the injury risk, the Dodgers hoped to limit Urias’ innings so he could perform in September and October. The team delayed his progression during spring training, though he threw at the usual intervals, until the end of March. Urias joined the big league club in late April. He failed to command his pitches, and lost his roster spot in May after walking more batters than he struck out. The hiccup did not dim the team’s hopes for Urias. He was sent back to Oklahoma City to refine his mechanics. He was monitored closely. Since his professional debut in 2013, Urias has thrown more than 100 pitches in a game only twice. “As an organization, I just don’t see how we could have handled him with more care,” manager Dave Roberts said. Yet Urias did not rise to the majors on a straight line. He underwent eye surgery in 2015 and logged only 80 1/3 innings. He shifted from starting to relieving and back to starting in 2016. Urias arrived at Camelback Ranch this spring hoping to break camp as a starter, having prepared all winter for the task. The offseason program meant little for his chances. Friedman rejected the notion that the Dodgers mishandled Urias. He scoffed at the idea that pitching Urias more would have kept him safe. “Obviously, there’s a lot of unknowns on what you do on this,” Friedman said. “All of us feel pretty confident that if we didn’t protect him at all over the last couple of years, it could have happened sooner, in a more significant way.” The Dodgers did not craft the strategy for Urias in a vacuum. The team maintained dialogue with his agent, Scott Boras. Friedman convened with Boras for nearly 30 minutes as the Dodgers took batting practice before Friday’s game against Colorado. Boras also defended the Dodgers. He described the protection of Urias as a “well-executed, cooperative venture.” “A lot of times when you have precocious talent, they have such potential in their ability that they can reach [such] levels of execution, velocity and strength that they can literally pull tendons, ligaments off the bones, tear tissue,” Boras said. “You see this with great young pitchers. I mean, this guy could throw 98 mph when he was 16, 17.” In Urias, Boras continued, “you just have a remarkable talent, who has the ability, in the execution of his fastball, to generate a torque that is so great that the youthfulness of his physiology was not yet capable of withstanding the torque created.” Perhaps the injury can be distilled into a truism the Dodgers espoused Friday, that throwing a baseball is hazardous to the health of your arm. Yet the organization will not escape scrutiny for the handling of Urias. It will miss him in 2017, and cannot count on him for 2018. A year ago, no star shined brighter in the Dodgers’ farm system. On Friday, the team revealed Urias’ new, hazier reality.

“Injuries happen in this game,” Friedman said. “There’s nothing we can do to eradicate them.”

OC REGISTER Dodgers top Colorado Rockies, 4-0, for ninth straight win By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw was halfway between the mound at Dodger Stadium and the home dugout when he tilted his head up, raised his left arm and shook a closed fist. There was relief. In the top of the first inning, Kershaw threw 33 pitches, nearly a third of his total workload Saturday night, loading the bases with one out. Then, the simmering drama between the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies faded. The left-hander dropped an 89 mph slider to strike out Ian Desmond and fanned Trevor Story on three pitches. “You have to have that mindset where you can’t give in,” Kershaw said. “That’s the biggest thing. Old cliché, one pitch at a time, really holds true. You kind of forget about what happened, try to make that next pitch and just keep doing that until they take you out.” Kershaw ultimately looked in prime form in the Dodgers’ 4-0 victory over Colorado, as they pushed their winning streak to a season-high nine games. It is also their longest since 2013. Over six scoreless innings, Kershaw struck out eight batters, walked one and gave up four hits. And after loading the bases in the top of the first, he went on to retire 13 consecutive Rockies. The run ended with two outs in the top of the fifth when Chris Rusin knocked a two-strike curveball into right field. “Clayton obviously has a way of finding another gear, another level,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. His turnaround was quick. Roberts said he never seriously considered asking a relief pitcher to warm up in the bullpen during the top of the first. But after Kershaw walked Mark Reynolds to load the bases with one out, his pitch count had reached 26 pitches and Roberts admitted, “it starts to get a little dicey there.” It ended as an encouraging performance for the Dodgers’ ace. Five days earlier in the same ballpark, Kershaw surrendered six runs, including a career-high four home runs, in a 10-6 win against the New York Mets, underscoring a suddenly nagging issue. Less than halfway through this regular season, he had seen 17 of his pitches clear the outfield walls — already the most homers he had given up in any season since he debuted in 2008.

Roberts sensed Kershaw was eager to rebound. “Every time he takes the mound he’s on edge,” Roberts said. “Tonight, I think there was even more, if that’s even possible.” Presented with Roberts’ comments, Kershaw said, “Obviously, I didn’t want to pitch bad again. That’s about it.” With a win Saturday, the Dodgers added to their lead atop the National League West standings. When the weekend began, the Dodgers led the Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks by 1.5 games. After Saturday night, they were ahead of Arizona by 2.5 games and Colorado by 3.5 games. The Dodgers were positioned for the series sweep Sunday. The upstart Rockies split two of their previous series this season and took two out of three games in early April. Along with their nine-game winning streak, they have also won 15 of their last 16 games. “Seems like every night you find a different way to win, the confidence that you have coming to the field, like there’s no way you’re gonna lose,” Kershaw said. “That’s what it feels like. We come to the field pretty confident that we’re going to win the game.” A three-run third inning bolstered Kershaw’s effort Saturday, beginning with a leadoff home to straightaway center field by Joc Pederson, who turned on a first-pitch fastball. It continued a recent power surge. After Pederson’s solo blast, the Dodgers had homered in 16 consecutive games, the longest such streak in club history. A pair of runs followed. Yasmani Grandal singled on a hard-hit line drive to right field with one out, scoring Justin Turner from first base. Kershaw was walked with the bases loaded. He was the third straight batter Tyler Chatwood, the Rockies’ right-hander, walked. Chatwood, a Redlands native, struggled Saturday. In three and one-third innings, he allowed four earned runs and saw 11 batters reach base, eight of them by walks. It had been at least a decade since the Dodgers had been walked so many times in one game. Chatwood exited the game in the top of the fourth after Turner popped out. In the previous at-bat, he had walked Pederson The Dodgers scored their first run in the bottom of the second after an RBI single by Kike’ Herndandez brought in Logan Forsythe, who along with Yasiel Puig, had reached base by a walk. Hernandez was in the lineup at shortstop, replacing Corey Seager who remains day-to-day with a mild strain of his right hamstring.

Dodgers’ Corey Seager day-to-day with hamstring strain By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES — For now, Corey Seager will avoid a trip to the disabled list. An MRI of Seager’s right hamstring on Saturday revealed he had suffered only a grade I strain, a positive development for the Dodgers’ star shortstop who was pulled from a 6-1 victory over Colorado the previous day after experiencing tightness. Manager Dave Roberts estimated Saturday that Seager might miss 3-4 days, a timetable that would allow him to return to the lineup at some point next week. Roberts noted the club would remain cautious before ushering his return, aware of the risk of Seager re-aggravating his hamstring. “We talked about the short view, but the long view,” Roberts said. “With Corey, to put him in harms way, to potentially have him miss more than he needs to would be irresponsible. We’re definitely mindful of that.” Seager exited during the bottom of the second inning Friday night, leaving with a trainer for the clubhouse almost immediately after he scored from second base on a single by Justin Turner. He told reporters afterward that his hamstring “tightened up” earlier in the inning when he stepped out of the batter’s box after lining a double to right field. The pain persisted when he rounded third base. Seager was not expected to undergo baseball activities Saturday, scheduled for undergo treatment. Roberts said he retained the option to use Seager strictly as a pinch hitter Saturday if needed. Utilityman Kike’ Hernandez filled in at short. In his young career, Seager has been durable, appearing in 73 of the Dodgers’ first 75 games this season and 157 of their 162 games as a rookie a year ago. He has yet to appear on the DL since debuting in the majors in late 2015. Asked of the possibility of losing Seager for longer than expected should his strained hamstring heal slowly, Roberts said, “It would be a huge void. You’re playing a premium defensive position, and you lose your shortstop, and arguably your best hitter, it’s a big blow.” Seager began Saturday hitting .298 with 12 home run and 39 RBI. MAEDA TO MAKE SPOT START Kenta Maeda has not retaken a spot in the Dodgers’ five-man starting rotation, but he will start Tuesday against the Angels, affording the other starters an extra day’s rest. “It’s a good thing for all of them,” Roberts said.

The Dodgers are amid a stretch of 20 games, from June 13 to July 2, without a day off. Maeda, who has been the odd-man-out in the rotation, last started June 18 in Cincinnati, where he allowed one run, three hits and one walk, striking out five batters, in five innings against the Reds. In 13 appearances this season, including 11 starts, Maeda has a 4.62 ERA. Roberts said it also presented Maeda with something of an audition. “We talk about keeping guys current, relevant,” Roberts said, adding, “I expect Kenta to do what he’s been doing, attack guys with his mix and get guys out.” After a tough start to the season, where he allowed 19 runs in 29 innings in April, the right-hander from Japan has proven more capable in recent weeks. So far this month, he has surrendered four runs in 14 innings. On deck: Rockies at Dodgers, Sunday, 1 p.m. By Joey Kaufman Where: Dodger Stadium TV: SNLA (where available) THE PITCHERS DODGERS RHP Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.87) vs. Rockies: 2-3, 4.57 (eight starts) At Dodger Stadium: 8-2, 3.60 (17 starts) Hates to face: Charlie Blackmon, 5 for 13 (.385), RBI, 2 BB Loves to face: Ian Desmond, 1 for 6 (.167), SO ROCKIES LHP Tyler Anderson (3-5, 5.75) vs. Dodgers: 2-3, 3.57 (six starts) At Dodger Stadium: 0-1, 3.18 (two starts) Hates to face: Justin Turner, 8 for 15 (.533), HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI Loves to face: Yasiel Puig, 1 for 8 (.125), SO

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Kenley Jansen changed countries -- then changed positions By Marly Rivera Kenley Jansen was born and raised in Curacao. But after learning four languages, including Spanish, in school as a child, he has become a bridge between Latino and American players in his eight years in the majors. Jansen tells Marly Rivera how his experiences helped his transitions to the majors and his relationships with teammates and coaches. On many of the islands, as it is in your island of Curacao, children grow up speaking several languages. Was it like that for you? In the islands, people speak four or five languages. That's something we start in school. You start with Dutch first, and then, I think, when you go into third grade, you start with English and then Spanish and Papiamento (the official language of Curacao) and everything. Then, when you are around 15 years old, you start talking in French and everything. Xander Bogaerts, who is from Aruba, also speaks Spanish well, and even has a Dominican accent. You know, I always thought he was Dominican! I mean, just listen to him talking, and it's like, man. He's a little younger than I am. I didn't get to know him. Guys like Andrelton Simmons I kind of know because they were there when I was there. When I [got to] know him, I was kind of like, "Wow, he's from Aruba, that's awesome." What is your first language? Papiamento. That's the best language I speak. In the minors, there are not many players from the islands, but there are many Latinos. Did people assume that you were Latin? Sure, a lot of people thought I was Latino because all the time I was hanging out with Latinos. They would talk to me and I would learn how to speak [like them]. I can speak with guys from the Dominican Republic or from Venezuela or from Mexico. I wanted to talk almost the same as them and always learn more languages. How did it help you, to speak so many languages, when you were in the minors? It was easier for me. I know a lot more people, and I know [more about] the game. All of that helps because there are times when you have Latin coaches. If you have a Latin pitching coach, you can speak Spanish with them and you learn more; he can tell you what you have to do on the mound. How did you decide which language to speak at home with your children? Well, with my son, he speaks English now because I want him to learn English. With my wife, she talks to me in Papiamento. He listens to us to talk to each other all the time in Papiamento, and when my family comes [from Curacao], they speak Papiamento with him. We have [a lady] who works in my house, and she speaks Spanish with him, and so my son is learning all three languages. Did you see yourself as a bridge between Latinos and U.S. players, especially as a translator? Yeah, I definitely was the bridge to do it sometimes. Sometimes, when they have no one to translate, I just go in and help some Hispanic guys.

Tell me about your relationship with Yasiel Puig. I am telling you right now, the Yasiel Puig that everybody sees outside is not that. He is just a great guy; a fun guy [with a] great heart. That's who he is. That's his personality. He is still learning what's right to do around here or what's not right. He is just learning the culture of the United States, I feel. Sometimes, I feel like us as Latinos kind of complicates stuff a little bit. People from here kind of see it differently. And I feel like with Yasiel, it was the past, too, that a lot of stuff could have gone differently for him. Since the beginning, he could have been better; he could have worked harder. He could have [been more] disciplined. Now that we have other people around here, he is really well disciplined. Like I said, Yasiel is gifted. A talent like that, I never saw before. I am serious. I never saw Bo Jackson play, and I heard Bo Jackson was amazing. But for me, in my eyes, a talent like that, you can tell this kid is so gifted. The way how he plays the outfield. The arm he has; his hitting ability. He has so much in him that he just has to get to know himself to be on that other level. He is not there yet, but I hope one day he just gets it, and he will get to that level. I have heard that you did not start as a pitcher. What other positions have you played? Well, you know, it's true. I started at 6 years old playing [in my hometown]. I remember watching my brothers growing up playing baseball and I wanted to do the same thing. I started playing the outfield first to get used to it. Then I went to shortstop -- and a guy named Andrelton Simmons shows up [and] I moved to third base. We played with each other. He played shortstop, and then I was at third, and then I moved to first. Then, I finally become a catcher. How tall were you when they switched you to being a catcher? I was short. I wasn't the taller guy that I am now in the team. The most that I [grew] is when I signed [at] 16 years old. I was 6-2, I remember, 178 [pounds]. Then, next thing you know, I was 6-5, 220. So, yeah, a lot of growing! The transition from catcher to pitcher -- had to be that arm. Yes, it would definitely be the arm. I remember in the World Baseball Classic [in 2009], throwing out Willy Taveras at third in Puerto Rico. And then I showed how I could throw from my knees, throwing Ryan Braun out from my knees. And they see that. I had been doing that more in the minor leagues. That made the Dodgers make that decision to, you know, let's just put him on the mound. Did you ever think, when you made the transition to become a pitcher, that you would become a franchise closer? No, I never thought that would ever happen. When I started pitching [due to] John Watson, who used to be the farm manager here and now is a scouting director, I never thought that could happen. I knew that I had a chance to make it to the big leagues, [because even] when I did not know how to pitch, I threw 10 pitches in Single A [advanced] and struck out two batters. I said, 'OK, you have a chance to make it to the big leagues, let's see how it goes.' From then on, things went well, and then, when I got here, all these things happened so fast. I still can't think of myself as a closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.

Kershaw, Pederson lead Dodgers to 9th consecutive win By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are showing some interesting versatility during their nine-game winning streak. They can either power past a team or walk over them. On Saturday night, the surging Dodgers hit a home run for the 16th consecutive game, while also walking 10 times on the way to a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Clayton Kershaw (11-2) overcame a challenging first inning to hold the Rockies without a run for his six innings and Joc Pederson provided a solo home run as the Dodgers won for the 15th time in 16 games. "It just seems like every night you find a different way to win," Kershaw said. "Just the confidence you feel, like there's no way you're going to lose." The Dodgers are the first National League team to reach the 50-win mark (50-26). Pederson's solo home run in the third was his sixth of the year. It's the first time the Dodgers have hit at least one home run in 16 consecutive games since 1960. "We're playing really well and it's fun to be a part of," Pederson said. "We're going to continue to stick to what got us here and keep it going." Kershaw gave up four home runs in his last start and got into immediate trouble Saturday. The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the first, with Kershaw's pitch count approaching 30. But the left-hander struck out the next two Rockies and went on to retire 13 consecutive batters. "Clayton has a way of finding another gear, another level and make pitches," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "And sometimes when you get a guy with his reputation on the mound, guys tend to squeeze their bats a little bit tighter." Kershaw allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out eight. The Dodgers have won his last 10 starts. Tyler Chatwood (6-8) had control issues all night, walking a career-high eight in just 3 1/3 innings. Two walks came with the bases loaded in the third to force in runs, including one to Kershaw on four pitches. "I felt like I beat myself tonight, and that's pretty frustrating to go home to," Chatwood said. "I didn't really have a good feel for it today." WALK IN L.A. The 10 walks came just two nights after nine Dodgers walked against the Mets. Roberts said the numerous walks and home runs are connected. "We talk a little bit about scaring pitchers out of the strike zone," Roberts said. "If you're a pitcher and you've got to be fine and perfect to get guys out, that's a tough way to go through a lineup.

"And we've been very stubborn in the strike zone, taking our walks, keeping the line moving. And when there's a pitch that we can handle and do damage with, we're slugging." MISSED OPPORTUNITY Rockies manager Bud Black thought Colorado missed a key opening when it loaded the bases against Kershaw in the first with one out but failed to score. "You've got to capitalize on those," he said. "At least get a run. That was a tough one. We had him 30-plus pitches. It looked as though we might be able to break through the first. That shows the caliber of talent he is to be able to get a strikeout with the bases loaded." TRAINER'S ROOM Rockies: OF Carlos Gonzalez missed his second consecutive start with a sore right shoulder. Black said Gonzalez might be available to pinch hit. "He's getting better," Black said. "This is not a disabled list situation, it really is day-to-day." Dodgers: An MRI showed SS Corey Seager had a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. Dodgers are hoping it is not a DL situation, but Roberts said they expect him to miss three to four starts. "Then we'll have to make a (DL) decision," he said. ... Roberts said reliever Kenta Maeda will start Tuesday against the Angels, not because of any injury, but to simply push back the starts for an extra day's rest. UP NEXT Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (3-5, 5.75 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start since May 30 in the series finale Sunday. He has made one relief appearance since coming off the DL with left knee inflammation. In six career starts against the Dodgers, he is 2/3 with a 3.57 ERA. Dodgers: RHP Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.87 ERA) is scheduled to make his 13th start of the season. He has held opponents to a .226 batting average while putting up a 1.07 WHIP. He is 2/3 with a 4.57 ERA in eight career starts against the Rockies.

TRUE BLUE LA

Dodgers shut out Rockies for 9th straight win By Eric Stephen Clayton Kershaw overcame a blip of trouble early to dominate the Rockies, and the Dodgers offense did their part in a 4-0 win on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. The numbers are staggering for the Dodgers, who have now won nine straight games, and 15 of their last 16. They improved to 31-10 at home. On the current homestand, the Dodgers are 6-0 and have outscored opponents 46-12.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out against Kershaw in the first inning, a frame that saw him throw 33 pitches. But he got things quickly in order, striking out Ian Desmond swinging then getting Trevor Story looking to end the inning. Those were the first two of 13 straight batters retired by Kershaw, who despite the high early pitch count cruised through six innings. Kershaw lowered his career ERA against the Rockies at home to 1.46, and nine of those 17 starts have been scoreless. The Dodgers have won 15 of those 17 starts. Things were the opposite for Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood, who struck out two in a scoreless first inning. Things went immediately south after that. Two walks and an RBI single by Kiké Hernandez gave the Dodgers a lead, then Chatwood completely lost in in the third. Joc Pederson led off the third with a solo home run, his fourth homer in his last nine games. That gave the Dodgers 16 straight games with a home run, their longest streak since a 17-game stretch in 1960 that is the longest since the franchise moved to Los Angeles. Then a walk, a single, and an error gave the Dodgers another tally. Chatwood followed by walking two more to load the bases for Kershaw, and Chatwood walked him too to force in another run for a 4-0 lead. Dodgers pitchers lead baseball with 11 walks while batting this season. Chatwood was amazingly allowed to remain in the game to start the fourth, though he only pitched to two more batters. He walked one of those to give him eight walks, the most by any pitcher against the Dodgers since former Rockies hurler Jason Jennings on Apr. 29, 2005. The Dodgers reached 50 wins in 76 games, the third-fewest games since moving to Los Angeles. The 1974 team started 50-24, and in 1977 the club started 50-25. Both made the World Series. Up next The Dodgers go for double digits and a series sweep on Sunday, sending Brandon McCarthy to the mound in the series finale against the Rockies. Colorado switched things up for the 1:10 p.m. PT game, and will now send to the hill left-hander Tyler Anderson, who has three losses in three starts against Los Angeles in 2017. Saturday particulars Home run: Joc Pederson (6) WP - Clayton Kershaw (11-2): 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts LP - Tyler Chatwood (6-8): 3⅓ IP, 3 hits, 4 runs, 8 walks, 3 strikeouts

Alex Verdugo extends hitting streak to 15 games, OKC wins 4-1 By Craig Minami The Dodgers minor-league affiliates went three-for-four in both their full-season versions and their short-season Rookie leagues. Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Rancho Cucamonga were the full-season teams that won with Great Lakes being on the losing end. For the Rookie League teams, it was DSL Dodgers1 on the short end of the scoreboard. However, Ogden, AZL Dodgers and DSL Dodgers2 won quite easily on Saturday. Player of the day Alex Verdugo was 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases on Saturday. Verdugo extended his hitting streak to 15 games and he is also hitting an unconscious .391/.448/.598 in June. Triple-A Oklahoma City The Dodgers got solid pitching and just enough offense to win 4-1 over the Nashville Sounds (Athletics). Wilmer Font pitched 5⅓ innings, gave up one run, five hits and two walks. Font also struck out three. Three relievers followed Font and held the Sounds scoreless, Madison Younginer recorded his fifth save. Alex Verdugo had two hits and two stolen bases, Verdugo now has a 15-game hitting streak. Brett Eibner had two hits including a double and an RBI. O’Koyea Dickson doubled and scored two runs. Double-A Tulsa The Drillers scored a run in the 8th and beat the NW Arkansas Naturals (Royals) 3-2 on Saturday night. Shea Spitzbarth had a blown save in the top of the 8th but then got the win because of the run scoring in the bottom of the 8th. Corey Copping picked up his 6th save. After the game was tied in the top of the 8th, Jose Miguel Fernandez, who also hit a two-run homer to give Tulsa an early lead, began the inning with a single. After being sacrificed to second and an intentional walk was given to Edwin Rios, a pinch-runner, Zach McKinstry, came in for Fernandez. McKinstry took third on a fly ball out and then he scored on a pass ball. Chris Rearick made his second start for the Drillers and he pitched six innings. Rearick gave up four hits, one unearned run, and two walks, he also struck out five. Class-A Rancho Cucamonga The Quakes are now 3-0 in the second half as they overwhelmed the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies) 13-3 at Lancaster. The Quakes pounded out 12 hits including eight extra-base hits. With the score 5-1 with two out in the 3rd inning, Errol Robinson hit a grand slam and after that, there was not much done by either side. Along with Robinson, four other Quakes had two hits, Will Smith, Ibandel Isabel, Brandon Montgomery and Victor Roache.

Caleb Ferguson got the win, he pitched five innings, gave up seven hits and two runs. Class-A Great Lakes The Loons lost 4-2 to the South Bend Cubs despite Carlos Rincon’s 12th home run of the season. 2016 Compensation Round and the overall 36th player chosen, Jordan Sheffield started for the Loons but did not make it past the first inning. Sheffield, who has generally pitched four to five innings per start, though he has gone as far as six innings once, threw 31 pitches in his ⅔ inning appearance on Saturday. Sheffield gave up two hits, three runs (two earned), and two walks. The Loons relievers did come in and only allow a run in the remainder of the game but the Loons offense could not get anything going. Aside from Rincon’s homer, the Loons had six singles. Rookie-level Ogden The Raptors scored early and often in their 9-0 win over the Grand Junction Rockies. The Raptors scored two runs in the 1st, four runs in the 2nd and another run in the 3rd to take a 7-0 lead. Carlos Felix, a 21-year old right-handed pitcher, started for the Raptors and he pitched five innings, and he gave up five hits and struck out five. Moises Perez and Kevin Lachance each had three hits, Brock Carpenter homered in his 2-for-6 game, Christian Santana and Michael Medina each had two hits. Rookie-level Arizona The AZL Dodgers took on their complex neighbor and defeated the AZL White Sox and beat them 10-1 to open up their Arizona League season. 2015 international signings Starling Heredia, who homered, is starting his first U.S.-based training here in Arizona. Another 2015 signee, Ronny Brito, went 2-for-4 on Saturday. Transactions Triple-A: Oklahoma City activated outfielder Brett Eibner from the 7-day disabled list. Double-A: Left-handed pitcher Jason Wheeler assigned to Tulsa from Oklahoma City; Tulsa placed right-handed pitcher Tim Shibuya on the 7-day disabled list. Rookie: Tulsa sent first baseman Stetson Allie on a rehab assignment to AZL Dodgers. Saturday’s Scores Oklahoma City 4, Nashville 1 Tulsa 3, NW Arkansas 2 Rancho Cucamonga 13, Lancaster 3 South Bend 4, Great Lakes 2

Ogden 9, Grand Junction 0 AZL Dodgers 10, AZL White Sox 1 DSL Braves 5. DSL Dodgers1 4 DSL Dodgers2 12, DSL Astros Orange 1 Sunday Schedule 11:05 a.m. PT: Tulsa (Walker Buehler) vs. NW Arkansas (TBD) 11:05 a.m.: Great Lakes (Dustin May) vs. South Bend (TBD) 3:05 p.m.: Ogden (Osiris Ramirez) at Orem Owlz [Angels] (Elvin Rodriguez) 4:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Justin Masterson) vs. Nashville (Corey Walter) 5:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Dennis Santana) at Lancaster (Craig Schlitter) Corey Seager avoids DL, day to day with Grade 1 hamstring strain By Eric Stephen Corey Seager, as expected, is out of the Dodgers’ lineup on Saturday against the Rockies, one night after he suffered a right hamstring cramp. But, at least for now, Seager will avoid the disabled list. The Dodgers shortstop suffered a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring (the mildest grade), per manager Dave Roberts, who said Seager is day to day and would be available off the bench on Saturday. Seager left Friday night’s game after just two innings, feeling something advancing to second base after his second hit of the night. Seager actually remained in the game to finish the inning, and scored from second base on a single, but then came out at the end of the frame. Kiké Hernandez gets the start at shortstop for the Dodgers on Saturday, his sixth start at the position this season. Cody Bellinger shifts to left field on Saturday, with Chase Utley getting the start at first base, his seventh start at the position in 2017. Chris Taylor gets a rare day off. He started 41 of the previous 45 games, at second base, shortstop, third base, center field and left field. The only Dodgers to start more games than Taylor during that stretch were Bellinger (43 starts) and Seager (42).

DODGER INSIDER

Nifty fifty—Kershaw avoids danger in Dodgers’ 50th victory By Matthew Mesa It took Clayton Kershaw 33 pitches to get through the first inning. He only needed 70 additional pitches to complete six scoreless frames as the Dodgers stayed hot with 4–0 win over Rockies—the team’s ninth consecutive victory. “First innings sometimes, for me, it’s tough to settle in. That’s a really good lineup over there so they’re going to make you pay for some mistakes,” Kershaw said. “So, thankfully I was able to get out of it. The way our bullpen is throwing, the way we’re swinging the bats, it worked out tonight.” Yasmani Grandal said once Kershaw was able to escape the first, it was all about making the Rockies beat them. “Let’s just attack these guys,” Grandal said, “and if they’re going to hit, let them hit.” Dodgers kept their home run streak going thanks to Joc Pederson’s solo home run in the third, giving the boys in blue 16 straight games with a round-tripper. The club can tie a Los Angeles Dodgers record (17 in 1960) with a home run tomorrow. Sergio Romo entered in the ninth to secure the Dodgers’ National League-leading 50th victory of the season, trailing only the Houston Astros (51–25) for most wins in all of Major League Baseball. Kershaw recorded his 11th win of the season, the most in the National League and tied for the most in the Major Leagues (Jason Vargas, Royals). Seeing Kershaw overcome a rough inning is nothing new to Dave Roberts. “Clayton has a way to find another gear, another level and make pitches.” Justin Turner has turned into one of the game’s best hitters By Cary Osborne 06/24 Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. PT: Chase Utley 1B Joc Pederson CF Justin Turner 3B Cody Bellinger LF Yasmani Grandal C Logan Forsythe 2B Yasiel Puig RF Kiké Hernández SS Clayton Kershaw P

As long as he keeps swinging the bat the way he has been, Justin Turner is a little more than two weeks away from becoming the first Los Angeles Dodger to enter the All-Star Break/finish the season’s first half with a batting average at .380 or above with a minimum of 200 plate appearances. Heck, no LA Dodger has gone into the break with an average at .365 or above. Mike Piazza hit .363 going into the 1996 Midsummer Classic. Turner is at .392 through 215 plate appearances this year. There have been four seasons in franchise history where a Dodger has been at .380 at the midway point — Zack Wheat (1923: .381), Milt Stock (1925: .396) and Babe Herman (1929: .388 and 1930: .397). In the last 25 years, a player has gone into the break with an average of at least .380 12 times. It hasn’t happened since 2000 when Boston’s Nomar Garciaparra, Colorado’s Todd Helton and Anaheim’s Darin Erstad were all above .380. Larry Walker’s .398 in 1997 is the highest average at the break in the last 25 years. Turner has quickly risen from being one of the top power-hitting third basemen in the game to one of the top hitters in the game. He hit .275/.339/.493 with 27 homers last season. A significant difference in Turner’s jump in average this year can be attributed to the way he has handled pitches up in the strike zone. According to numbers from Brooks Baseball, Turner was 15-for-60 (.250) on pitches at the top of the zone last season. He is 18-for-33 this season (.545). He’s slugging .909 on those pitches this year compared to .450 last season. Turner has also seen a drastic improvement against lefties. He hit a combined .223/.316/.365 against lefties in 2015–16. This season he’s hitting .391/.474/.625 against them. Where Turner has really made a jump against lefties is on the inside half of the plate. Last season, he was 11-for-39 (.282) in pitches to that location. This year, he’s 9-for-14 (.643) thus far. His slugging percentage is 1.214. Turner ranks second in the Majors, minimum 200 plate appearances, in line-drive percentage (28.7 percent), according to FanGraphs. And here’s one more area that helps explain Turner turning it up this season. Turner is killing fastballs. Against four-seamers, he is hitting .460 this season with a .743 slugging percentage. Those numbers were .270/.520 last season.

According to FanGraphs and the stat fastball runs above average (wFB), Turner is the sixth best hitter against fastballs in baseball. Seager injury update Corey Seager had an MRI on his right leg Saturday that revealed a Grade 1 hamstring strain, according to Dave Roberts. Seager will be available to pinch-hit but Roberts said they’ll be cautious.

NBC LA Dodgers on Cloud Nine After 4-0 Shutout of Rockies By Michael Duarte The Dodgers are on cloud nine. Joc Pederson homered, Clayton Kershaw cruised, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their ninth consecutive game, as they shutout the Colorado Rockies, 4-0, on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Pederson led off the third inning with his sixth home run of the season and fourth in his last eight games, when he sent a first pitch fastball from Tyler Chatwood 421-feet over the centerfield wall. "I've been hitting off Doc [Dave Roberts] in the cage during batting practice and I have a good routine going," said Pederson of his hot-hitting as of late. "You're always trying to go up there and hit a good pitch, and he gave me a fastball on the first pitch and I was able to get on it." The mammoth blast extended the Dodgers historic home run streak to a season-high 16 games, the fourth longest in franchise history, the longest in Dodger Stadium history, and ties a 16-game streak in 1956 at Ebbets Field. "I didn't know that stat," added Pederson of the streak. "It's definitely fun to be a part of." His manager believes that there's a connection between the home run streak and the team's recent winning streak. "There's a connection," said Roberts. "We talk about scaring pitchers. When you're a pitcher and you have to be perfect to get guys out, that's a tough way to go through a lineup. We've been very stubborn, and when there's a pitch we can do damage with, we're slugging." The franchise record for consecutive games with a home run is 24 in 1953. If the Dodgers can hit one out of the park on Sunday, they will tie the Los Angeles record set in 1960 when the team homered in 17 consecutive games while playing at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

Chatwood (6-8), struggled with his command throughout the game, walking a season-high eight batters before exiting stage right in the fourth inning. "He couldn't throw the ball over the plate," said Roberts of Chatwood's command. "In my opinion when you face a guy like Clayton, the opposing pitcher is always ramped up and jacked up. Chatwood was max effort from pitch one and when you're doing that, it's hard to sustain. Our offense is very disciplined outside the strike zone. We're willing to take the walk. It's a formula we've been doing the last couple of weeks." The Southern California native walked four batters in the fourth inning alone, including three consecutive to walk in a run, as the Dodgers took a commanding 4-0 lead. Ordinarily, four runs in a baseball game is not a lot, but with three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw on the mound, it might as well be game over. "He was on edge," Roberts said of Kershaw on Saturday. "He was amped up and a little frustrated early on, but he settled in nicely." Kershaw improved to 93-0 during the regular season when he is given at least four runs of support and earned his MLB-leading 11th win of the season. "It's incredible," Kershaw said of his record and the team's performance lately. "It seems like every night you find a different way to win and every time we come to the field it feels like there's no way you're going to lose. Kershaw (11-2) scattered just four hits, two of which came in the first inning, as he struck out eight, walking just one, in six shutout innings. He also lowered his ERA to 2.47 on the season, fourth lowest in the major leagues. "They're a really good team over there, and we're going to have to beat them down the stretch," said Kershaw. "It's important to get these wins now, especially when we're playing so well." Kershaw followed in teammate Alex Wood's footsteps with his 10th consecutive start without a loss. Astros' starter Dallas Keuchel currently holds the longest active streak at 13, followed by Wood (11), and then Kershaw (10). The Dodgers walked a total of 10 times in the game; the second-most free passes issued this season. Corey Seager did not start, and was listed as day-to-day with a grade-one hamstring strain, suffered in the second inning of Friday's victory. Kershaw surpassed Orel Hershiser for most wins by a pitcher in Dodger Stadium history, earning the 77th victory of his career at the Ravine. Los Angeles has won 15 of their last 16 games, and hold the best record in the National League at 50-26, and best home record in all of baseball. Fun Fact:

Sandy Koufax made his debut 62 years ago to the date, and struck out two in two scoreless innings of relief. Up Next: The finale of the three-game series with the Rockies is on Sunday afternoon as Los Angeles looks for the sweep against their divisional rivals. LHP Tyler Anderson takes the mound for Colorado and RHP Brandon McCarthy for the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10PM PST.