Clayton Kershaw made a triumphant return to the mound, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday and snapping LA’s losing skid in the series. The veteran left-hander, pitching for the first time since last August, threw five sharp innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven and walking none.
The Dodgers jumped ahead early, thanks to Tommy Edman’s three RBIs, including a two-run double in the second inning and a run-scoring double in the fourth. Mookie Betts added to the offense with a solo home run, his ninth of the season, while Shohei Ohtani contributed a leadoff double and scored a run.
St. Louis starter Michael McGreevy, making his first start of the year after a call-up from Triple-A, surrendered four runs over six innings. The Cardinals managed to rally in the middle innings, with Masyn Winn delivering an RBI double and Alec Burleson bringing home another run with a sacrifice fly, but the Dodgers’ bullpen held firm to secure the win.
Kershaw’s performance was a milestone, marking his first victory since last summer and bringing him within strikeouts of the,000 mark for his career. The Dodgers improved to 12-6 in Kershaw’s career starts against the Cardinals and now head to San Diego for their next series, while St. Louis travels to Toronto.
For fans who missed the action, full game highlights are available on YouTube..
