Clayton Kershaw struck out nine in seven innings and notched his 11th win of the season as the Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday night.
Kershaw (11-2) - who allowed only one run on four hits - has gone at least six innings in all 20 starts this season. For as strong as that is, what he has done at Dodger Stadium has been even better.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner is unbeaten in 21 straight regular-season starts at home dating to last season, going 10-0 with a 2.28 earned run average during that span.
Kershaw allowed the Cardinals to get their leadoff hitter aboard the first three innings and scored first when Matt Carpenter's single drove in Paul DeJong. He settled down though after allowing Dexter Fowler to begin the third with a single, retiring 15 of the last 16 hitters he faced, including 13 straight at one point.
Kershaw got some help from his defense in the seventh with the Dodgers hanging on to a 2-1 lead. Joc Pederson made a running catch in right field to rob Andrew Knizner of a possible extra-base hit and potential tying RBI to end the frame.
The Dodgers' bullpen pitched shutout ball in the final two innings, but not without some drama. The Cardinals had the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth, but Pedro Baez struck out DeJong.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth to earn his 26th save.
Justin Turner had two hits, including a double in the third inning that plated Pederson with what proved to be the go-ahead run in the third inning. Pederson led off the inning with a single.
Los Angeles tied it in the bottom of the second when Kristopher Negron's bloop single to center drove in Corey Seager, who started off the frame with a double.
Los Angeles extended its lead to 3-1 in the seventh when Max Muncy's single brought in Edwin Rios.
Miles Mikolas (7-12) went 6 2/3 innings and surrendered two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts. The Cardinals have dropped four straight and five of seven.
Burbank native Jack Flaherty (5-6, 3.93 ERA) makes his second career start at Dodger Stadium.
The right-hander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning last year before it was broken up by a Joc Pederson homer.
Dustin May (0-1, 4.76) makes his second major league start. The right-hander went 5 2/3 innings against San Diego on Aug. 2 and allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits.
