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Kershaw, Dodgers beat Brewers to avoid sweep

Aug 19, 2011 - 5:55 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Clayton Kershaw went eight strong innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a four-game sweep against the Milwaukee Brewers with a 5-1 win.

Kershaw (15-5) gave up just five hits and struck out six for the Dodgers, who scored just two runs in the first three games of this series. Rod Barajas went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored.

"I would have sure liked to have pitched the ninth, but that's not my call," said Kershaw. "Throwing strikes was huge. They weren't letting me get to two strikes for the most part so that kept my pitch count down. The early run from Barajas was huge."

Marco Estrada (3-8) was handed the loss despite giving up just one run and three hits over five innings for the Brewers, who had a six-game winning streak stopped. Prince Fielder drove in the lone run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

"Kershaw was really good and you can see what he's been doing all year pitching like this," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke. "Live fastball, good command, great breaking ball, he's a good athlete."

The Dodgers got on the board in the second inning when Barajas hit a two-out, solo shot over the wall in left-center for a 1-0 lead.

Los Angeles had men on first and third with one out in the third, but Andre Ethier hit a sharp grounder to first that saw Fielder field the ball and touch first base before throwing home where Jonathan Lucroy applied the tag to Tony Gwynn Jr. to end the inning.

The Brewers placed runners on first and third with one gone in the bottom of the third, but Jerry Hairston Jr. hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the frame.

The top of the fourth ended on another Los Angeles double play while Milwaukee stranded a runner in the bottom of the frame.

Hairston hit a one-out double in the sixth and moved to third on a fly out from Ryan Braun, but Fielder flied out to end the frame.

The Dodgers got some breathing space with two runs in the seventh. With two outs, Barajas doubled and came home when Jamey Carroll singled and wound up on second after the throw to home. Kershaw then laid down a chopper back towards the mound that Cameron Loe fielded, but he threw the ball away and Carroll scored for a 3-0 lead. Kershaw reached base Loe's throwing error, allowing Carroll to score.

After Milwaukee went down in order in the seventh, the Dodgers added two more runs in the eighth on a sac fly from Juan Rivera and an RBI single from Aaron Miles for a 5-0 lead.

Braun hit a one-out triple in the ninth and came home when Fielder followed with a sac fly to help the Brewers avoid being shutout at home for the first time this season.

Game Notes

Los Angeles continues its 10-game road trip in Colorado on Friday...The Brewers hit the road for the next seven games with a three-game set starting on Friday against the Mets...The Brewers won four of the six games against the Dodgers this season...Kershaw has won seven of his past eight starts and improved to 2-2 over five career games against the Brewers.