Under the category of: Thanks, we needed that, Dodgers ace and future first-ballot Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw gave his team what Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said was “…clearly his best outing yet,” in the Dodgers 7-3 win over the NL Central second-place St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Sunday.

“The command was much better, the slider got the swing and miss we talked about. He just really didn’t feel like he was laboring from pitch-one trying to find something,” Roberts told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson postgame. “So, the curveball incorporated, was much better today. It’s just back to who he is, seven strikeouts, no walks,” added the Dodgers skipper.

“Command was better overall … I think that was probably the biggest thing,” Kershaw said of his first win of the season (with no losses) to lower his un-Kershaw-like 5.17 ERA to 4.35.

As for those seven Dodgers runs, three were driven in by 30-year-old Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (AKA “Tommy Tanks”), who went 2-for-3 on the day, including what would prove to be the game-winning RBI with his one-out opposite-field double down the left field line in the top of the fourth.

The Dodgers very much needed the win, as the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants also won on Sunday to (both) remain one game back of the Dodgers in the NL West standings.

Thanks, Kersh – We needed that!

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *