LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw broke out of a funk to maintain his mastery of the San Francisco Giants with a 4-2 win Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
For Kershaw, reeling after a three-game losing streak and without a win since May 20, the Giants — and Tim Lincecum — were the ideal pick-me-up.
Kershaw entered the game with a career 1.28 ERA against San Francisco and a 4-0 record head-to-head against Lincecum.
History kept up Wednesday as Kershaw allowed just four hits and two runs — both coming on Buster Posey’s second home run in two days — while striking out seven. Kenley Jansen relieved Kershaw with a runner on first in the ninth inning to pick up the save.
Even with Matt Kemp back out of the starting lineup after a one-game cameo following his return from the disabled list, the Los Angeles lineup lit up Lincecum.
Four Dodgers had multiple hits, including Yasiel Puig, who went 3-for-4 a day after going hitless in four at-bats. Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe each had two hits, and seven batters hit safely.
Lincecum allowed 10 hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 4.64 in the process.
Los Angeles pounced on Lincecum in the sixth inning, using four hits and two steals to score three to take the 4-2 lead. Ethier drove in Hanley Ramirez with a single, and A.J. Ellis followed with a double to score Ethier. Ellis subsequently scored on a wild pitch.
Posey gave the Giants the lead in the fourth inning, driving a Kershaw offering to left-center field to score Marco Scutaro. Posey also homered Tuesday and he has 10 on the year.
Los Angeles took the lead in the third inning. Ramirez, who has hit safely in nine consecutive games, collected an RBI for his sixth straight game, bringing home Mark Ellis with a single to right field.
NOTES: Kemp has been hampered by injuries throughout the year, and he has already missed 24 games. … Ramirez’s six-game RBI streak is the team’s longest of the year. … Puig went hitless Tuesday for just the fourth time in 21 games. … San Francisco fell below .500 on Tuesday for the first time since Opening Day. It was the latest the Giants were below .500 since 2008. … Giants INF Joaquin Arias continues to be plagued by a sore hamstring he suffered Monday, and he could end up on the disabled list. … Dodgers OF Scott Van Slyke moved his rehab assignment to Class A Rancho Cucamonga and went 1-for-4 Wednesday. … Kershaw is now 5-0 against Lincecum in his career. He was winless since May 20 before Wednesday’s victory. … The Giants have now scored just 16 runs in their last seven contests and 28 in their last 11.