July 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw did not allow an earned run for a third consecutive start, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won the opener of the three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal drove in two runs apiece as the first-place Dodgers (56-29) extended their lead over the second-place Diamondbacks (52-32) to 3 1/2 games in the National League West.
Los Angeles has won 21 of its past 25 games.
Daniel Descalso hit a three-run homer off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen with two outs in the ninth to prevent the shutout. After walking the next batter, Jansen struck out pinch hitter Chris Herrmann to seal his 19th save.
Kershaw (13-2) went seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out 11 on 117 pitches. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and four-time NL ERA champion lowered his ERA from 2.32 to 2.19 and became the first 13-game winner in the majors this season.
The lefty hasn’t allowed an earned run in his past 20 innings.
Kershaw didn’t surrender a hit Tuesday until there was one out in the seventh inning. Arizona shortstop Chris Owings was jammed and sent a slow roller to second baseman Logan Forsythe. First baseman Cody Bellinger went for the ball instead of the bag, and Kershaw was late covering.
Diamondbacks catcher Chris Iannetta, who drew Kershaw’s only two walks, followed with a single to left to put runners on first and third with two outs, but Descalso grounded to second to end the only threat against Kershaw.
Turner came into the day leading five players for the NL Final Vote into the All-Star Game next week in Miami, and he drove in the first two runs for Los Angeles.
He singled off the top of the wall in the first inning to drive in Forsythe, then hit a solo homer to center field to lead off the third, his eighth of the season.
Forsythe came in 8-for-10 in his past three games and went 3-for-3 off Arizona starter Patrick Corbin on April 15 at Dodger Stadium. He finished 1-for-3 Tuesday and hit a leadoff double down the right field line before scoring the game’s first run.
Los Angeles’ Chris Taylor doubled with one out in the third before scoring on Grandal’s two-out single to right for a 3-0 lead.
Corbin (6-8) struck out five through the first two innings, but four of the first five hits he surrendered were for extra bases. He was lifted after 4 2/3 innings of three-run ball. He allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out eight.
NOTES: The Dodgers placed LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day disabled list prior to the game with left foot soreness. It is the seventh time Ryu has been on the disabled list since he was acquired by the Dodgers in December 2012. The Dodgers recalled RHP Ross Stripling from Triple-A Oklahoma City. … Diamondbacks CF A.J. Pollock was reinstated from the disabled list prior to the game and went 1-for-4 with a ground-rule double in the leadoff spot. Pollock missed the past seven weeks with a groin strain sustained May 14. To make room on the roster, Arizona optioned INF Ildemaro Vargas to Triple-A Reno. … Arizona LF Yasmany Tomas was diagnosed with a mild groin strain, manager Torey Lovullo said before the game. Tomas exited a rehab game at the rookie level on Saturday. The setback is unrelated to the groin tendinitis that caused Tomas to go on the 10-day DL on June 6, Lovullo said.
