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Kershaw wins 18th game as Dodgers down Padres

Sep 9, 2014 - 5:53 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Carl Crawford and Juan Uribe homered to help Clayton Kershaw to another victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres, 9-4, in the opener of a three-game set on Monday.

Kershaw (18-3) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on three hits over eight innings in becoming the majors' first 18-game winner. The left-hander has now gone 15-1 over his last 16 decisions and improved to 10-1 against teams in the National League West this season.

"It was a good night for us," said Kershaw. "We got a lot of runs early. We were consistently putting runners in scoring position."

Hanley Ramirez had two RBI, while Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and A.J. Ellis each knocked in a run for the Dodgers, who own a four-game winning streak and now lead San Francisco by 3 1/2 games in the NL West.

Kemp extended his hitting streak to 14 games in the win.

Odrisamer Despaigne (3-6) was roughed up for seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings.

"My location wasn't there," said Despaigne. "With the kind of offense the Dodgers have, you can't get behind in counts. This was my second time facing Clayton. I like the challenge."

Yasmani Grandal homered and Rene Rivera had an RBI for San Diego, which dropped its sixth straight contest.

Dee Gordon opened the home first with a single, stole second and came home on Ramirez's single to left. Uribe then increased the cushion with a solo shot to right an inning later.

Kershaw didn't allow a hit until a single to Yangervis Solarte in the fourth. After Rymer Liriano grounded into a force out, Liriano stole second and scored later in the inning on a single by Rene Rivera.

Los Angeles answered with two in the home half. Kemp walked to begin the frame, Crawford singled to put runners at the corners and Puig slapped a single into center to score Kemp for a 3-1 lead. Ellis knocked in Crawford later in the inning with an RBI groundout.

Kemp knocked an RBI double in the following inning, then Crawford clubbed a three-run homer to right off Frank Garces for an 8-1 cushion.

The Dodgers handed San Diego two runs in a sloppy sixth. With runners at first and second, Rivera flied out to center, where Puig committed the first of three errors on the play. Puig tried doubling Liriano off first, throwing it past Adrian Gonzalez at the bag. The ball bounced to Ellis, who skipped a throw into center trying to get Liriano. Ramirez backed up the play and fired home to get Solarte, however, his throw got past both Ellis and Kershaw and Liriano hustled all the way home from second to cut the deficit to 8-3.

Ramirez sent Gordon home in the eighth with a run-scoring hit and Grandal homered to right in the ninth to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Kershaw is 9-2 in games at Chavez Ravine this season. He improved to 12-6 in 24 starts against the Padres in his career ... LA went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position ... The Dodgers outhit San Diego, 13-4.