LOS ANGELES — From 9 1/2 games back of the San Francisco Giants to a half-game lead.
That is what the Los Angeles Dodgers did in the past three weeks, wiping out a big deficit and surging past the Giants for first place in the National League West.
“We’re on a good run,” Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw said. “We just have to make sure the low points aren’t as low as it was early on. The Giants are a great team. They’re going to start winning games. For us to make up this ground now is huge.”
While the Giants stumbled — a four-game sweep by the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend their latest misstep — the Dodgers are 13-4 in their past 17 games.
The Dodgers’ pitching, considered by many the best staff in baseball, is a big reason for the turnaround. Following Los Angeles’ 1-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday, the Dodgers’ starting pitching leads the majors with a 2.99 combined ERA. The Cincinnati Reds are a distant second at 3.24.
Overall, the Dodgers rank second in the big leagues with a 3.17 team ERA. The Washington Nationals are first with a 3.07 mark.