Nationals 1 - 4 Dodgers
Final
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Kershaw dominates again as Dodgers beat Nationals

Sep 3, 2014 - 5:31 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Clayton Kershaw twirled yet another gem as the Los Angeles Dodgers knocked off the Washington Nationals, 4-1, in the middle test of a three-game set between the top teams in the National League.

Kershaw (17-3) limited a Nationals club that hit 14 home runs over its previous four games to one run and three hits over eight innings. The peerless left-hander leads the majors in wins (17), ERA (1.70) and WHIP (0.83).

"Just your typical outing," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of his ace.

Juan Uribe belted a two-run homer for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who had dropped three of four coming in.

Bryce Harper broke up Kershaw's shutout bid with a home run in the seventh inning, but Washington failed to build off Monday's 6-4 win.

"(Kershaw) doesn't give you many opportunities," Nats manager Matt Williams said.

Doug Fister (12-6) allowed four runs -- three earned -- and 10 hits over five- plus innings to take the loss.

Fister worked out of trouble over the first four frames, but the Dodgers broke a scoreless tie in the fifth.

Kershaw reached on a one-out base hit and tested Harper's arm in center field when Dee Gordon chopped a base hit through the middle. Harper's throw was off line, Kershaw slid in safely and Gordon advanced to second to put two runners in scoring position.

With two outs, Adrian Gonzalez hit a slow roller between third and short. Ian Desmond fielded it but lost control on the exchange. Kershaw scored easily and Gordon never stopped running around third. A good threw from Desmond would have nabbed Gordon at the plate, but the ball sailed high and the Dodgers went ahead 2-0.

Uribe followed Carl Crawford's leadoff single in the sixth with his seventh home run of the season, and Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth to lock down his 39th save.

Game Notes

Kershaw improved to 14-1 over his last 17 outings and 15-0 in his last 19 starts against NL East opponents. He also eclipsed the 200-strikeout mark for the fifth consecutive season ... The Dodgers started Joc Pederson in center field in place of a struggling Yasiel Puig, and Pederson recorded his first big league hit in the second inning ... The Nationals go for their first series win at Dodger Stadium since 2005 on Wednesday with Jordan Zimmermann toeing the rubber opposite Carlos Frias, who will be making his first big league start ... Mo'ne Davis of Little League World Series instant fame threw out the ceremonial first pitch.






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