DENVER — All that talk about what’s wrong with Clayton Kershaw is receding into the past.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace left-hander made his second consecutive strong start Monday, giving up two runs on five hits in seven innings at Coors Field in an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. He issued one walk and struck out seven.
That outing came after Kershaw held the Atlanta Braves scoreless for seven innings on May 26 while allowing four hits and no walks and striking out 10.
“The last two, especially, I felt happy coming out of the game.” Kershaw said. “That’s a new feeling for me (this season). I’ll try to build on that, for sure.”
Over the past two starts, Kershaw lowered his ERA from 4.32 to 3.73. He is 4-3 in 11 starts. In 72 1/3 innings, he has allowed 65 hits and 17 walks with 90 strikeouts. He took over the National League lead in the latter category, passing the San Diego Padres’ James Shields (88).
Kershaw pitched at least seven innings for the third straight game. He also went 3-for-4, the first three-hit game of his career, with a double, an RBI and a run.
Given the lofty expectations that surround Kershaw, a three-time winner of the National League Cy Young Award who also was the NL Most Valuable Player last year, every time he takes the mound, there is relief of sorts when he steps in the batter’s box.
“I think in a way it’s a little bit more fun,” Kershaw said, “because there’s not the pressure of needing to succeed. At times it’s not very much fun either when you keep striking out. I guess it’s almost like a free pass. There’s not a whole lot of pressure to succeed.”