Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer and doubled in two runs, Clayton Kershaw tossed six shutout innings, and the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers opened a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-0 win on Friday night.
Clayton Kershaw (5-2) gave up five hits with no walks and struck out three for his 217th career win and first since June 26.
Justin Wrobleski followed by allowing one hit with five strikeouts over three innings for his second career save. The Dodgers recorded their fourth shutout of the season — and first since April 20 — while improving to 4-3 on their nine-game road trip.
Christopher Morel and Jonny DeLuca had two hits apiece for Tampa Bay, which has lost four straight games and 10 of 14 since the All-Star break.
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead against Shane Baz (8-8) in the first inning. Shohei Ohtani drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Will Smith’s double, and both runners scored on Freeman’s double to right field.
The Dodgers tacked on two more in the fourth, when, with runners on the corners and one out, Alex Freeland singled in a run for his first career RBI. Tommy Edman then came across on Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly.
Ohtani and Freeland each had two hits for Los Angeles, which entered Thursday’s action with a three-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West.
Freeman began the fifth inning with his 12th homer of the season, a 376-foot shot to right field. Freeman has homered in back-to-back games and reached base safely in 17 straight contests.
Baz allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings and lost his fifth straight start. He walked two and struck out eight.
The Rays put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth inning, but Kershaw escaped unscathed after DeLuca flied out to center.
Tampa Bay was shut out for the ninth time this season and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
The Rays played without first baseman Jonathan Aranda, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist fracture suffered during Thursday’s game against the New York Yankees.
–Field Level Media
