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Kershaw tosses CG, Dodgers send Padres to 5th straight loss

Aug 30, 2011 - 5:51 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Clayton Kershaw went the distance for his 17th win of the season as the Dodgers turned back the San Diego Padres, 4-1, in the opener of a three-game series.

James Loney smacked a two-run homer and Andre Ethier had three hits and an RBI for Los Angeles, which beat the Padres for the sixth time in the last seven meetings.

Kershaw (17-5) scattered six hits and had five strikeouts to tie Arizona's Ian Kennedy for the National League lead in victories. It was the left-hander's fourth straight win. He's 9-1 over his last 10 starts and moved to 10-1 in 14 games this season at Dodger Stadium.

"It was rough early, then all of a sudden he got into a groove," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Things were going so easy as the game went on. It made my decision easy to keep him in there in the ninth. Clayton is as good as anyone out there."

Additionally, Kershaw has five complete games this season and six for his career.

What's also incredible about Kershaw is his three-game string in which he's given up one run over 23 innings. His performance Monday led the Dodgers to their sixth win in seven games.

"I feel great. I struggled early, but got some double plays that helped me out," Kershaw said.

Mat Latos (6-13) was charged with five hits and four runs over six innings and has just one victory in the last two months.

"I made a couple of good pitches when I needed to, but things didn't go my way," Latos said. "I'm mixing my pitches. It's a lack of consistency."

Nick Hundley doubled in the only run for the Padres, losers of five in a row.

Ethier's single to center scored Matt Kemp in the opening inning, and Loney's blast to right-center in the third came after Justin Sellers walked.

Meanwhile, the Padres grounded into double plays in the second and third, and again in the fifth.

Hundley doubled to left to score Orlando Hudson in the fourth, but Ethier doubled to start the bottom half and came home on a Rod Barajas sacrifice fly.

Kershaw set down 12 straight batters until Hundley legged out an infield hit in the ninth. Hundley made it to third base, but Logan Forsythe fanned to end the contest.

Game Notes

The Padres have lost nine of their 13 matchups against the Dodgers this season...Kershaw is 6-3 lifetime against San Diego...Loney has an eight-game hitting streak...Kershaw is the first Dodger pitcher to win 17 games since Chan Ho Park won 18 in 2000.