Clayton Kershaw Dominates Royals in Shutout

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw shut out the Royals through 8 innings to fuel a close 2-0 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium Tuesday night.

The game was billed as a match-up of two good young left-handers—and it certainly didn’t disappoint. After giving up a run on a leadoff triple in the first inning, Kansas City starter Danny Duffy matched zeros with Kershaw for the next 5 innings.

The Dodgers scored an insurance run in the 9th inning against Kelvin Herrera to create the 2-0 final score.

The loss drops the Royals to 39-36 on the season. Kansas City fell to 3 games behind Detroit in the American League Central.

On the Mound

Justin Turner opened the game with a triple off Duffy, and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Adrian Gonzalez. Duffy didn’t give up another run the rest of the game. He went 6.0 innings, allowing 4 hits, 4 walks, and 1 earned run with 5 strikeouts.

Aaron Crow relieved Duffy in the 7th, and pitched a clean inning.

Kelvin Herrera entered in the 8th. He retired the Dodgers easily in the 8th, but ran into trouble in the 9th by allowing 3 singles and an RBI to Andre Ethier. Herrera went 1.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run with 2 strikeouts.

Mike Mariot got the the final two outs of the game, stranding Dodgers at 1st and 2nd.

At the Plate

Well, when you don’t score any runs, it not much of a day at the plate.

The Royals only managed 6 hits and 1 walk on the day, all against Kershaw. Their only credible threat came in the 7th when Omar Infante and Danny Valencia hit consecutive singles with one out. Justin Maxwell then hit into a fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners with 2-outs, but Dodger 2nd baseman Miguel Rojas fielded Alcides Escobar‘s sharp grounder up the middle to end the inning.

All 6 Kansas City hits off Kershaw were singles. Eric Hosmer and Danny Valencia were the only KC players with more than one hit. Hosmer went 2-4 on the day, while Valencia finished 2-3.

This and That

MLB.com picked the Dodgers/Royals game as the free “game of the day” on their web page. Non-subscribers could access this game at no cost.

The loss pushed Kansas City 1-game under .500 for the season at Kauffman Stadium at 19-20.

Aaron Crow got some great defense to record a 1,2,3 inning in the 7th. Omar Infante ranged far to his right to snag a grounder up the middle for the 1st out. Then Danny Valencia speared a chopper toward third that bounced twice before Hosmer dug it out at 1st base for the putout.

Manager Ned Yost said after the game that Danny Duffy wouldn’t have lasted through 3 innings last season due to not having his best stuff, but credited Duffy for batting through 6 while allowing only 1 run.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

To me, the clear choice is Danny Duffy—especially since the offense couldn’t produce a run. Duffy has seized a rotation spot this season with his improved command and polish this season. Duffy has the lowest ERA of any Kansas City starter at 2.69.

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• Billy Butler – 2
• Jarrod Dyson
• Lorenzo Cain – 4
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 5
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 5
• Jason Vargas – 6
• Alex Gordon – 8
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 6
• Yordano Ventura – 4
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy – 6
• Omar Infante – 2
• Mike Moustakas – 4
• Alcides Escobar – 4
• Eric Hosmer – 8
• Michael Mariot
• Casey Coleman

The Dodgers

What can I say? Clayton Kershaw showed why he is the best pitcher in baseball. He came into yesterday’s game fresh off a no-hitter in his last start in which he struck out 15, and was outstanding again Tuesday. Kershaw went 8.0 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 walk, and 0 earned runs while striking out 8. It was a dominating performance.

Justin Hunter hit the game’s only extra-base hit with his triple that led off the game.

Up Next

The Royals and Dodgers complete their 3-game series on Wednesday night. The Royals will send James Shields (8-3, 3.70) to the mound against Dan Haren (7-4, 3.62 ERA) for Los Angeles. Game time in 7:10 CST at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Box

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

3B: J Turner (1, off D Duffy).
TB: J Turner 3; A Ellis 2; A Gonzalez; A Ethier; Y Puig.
GIDP: M Kemp (10).
RBI: A Ethier (27); A Gonzalez (47).
Team LOB: 7.
With RISP: 2 for 7.
Fielding
DP: 1. J Turner-M Rojas-A Gonzalez.
Baserunning
CS: A Gonzalez (1, 2nd base by D Duffy/S Perez).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

TB: E Hosmer 2; D Valencia 2; B Butler; O Infante.
GIDP: B Butler (10).
Team LOB: 6.
With RISP: 0 for 3.
Fielding
DP: 1. A Escobar-O Infante-E Hosmer.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Balks: None.
WP: C Kershaw (4); D Duffy (4).
HBP: None.
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: None.