Kershaw extends scoreless streak to 37 innings

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MLB Roundup

Los Angeles – Clayton Kershaw extended his scoreless streak to 37 innings with eight innings of two-hit ball and fellow-pitcher Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Angels on Saturday.

Kershaw (9-6) struck out seven, walked one and retired his last 15 batters while working on eight days’ rest.  His previous start was a three-hit shutout on July 23 at New York in which he took a perfect game into the seventh inning.  The three-time Cy Young Award winner hasn’t given up a run since Wilmer Flores’ RBI single for the Mets on July 3 at Dodger Stadium.

Clayton Kershaw. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)Clayton Kershaw. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Kenley Jansen, battling a virus for the past four days, pitched a shaky ninth for his 20th save in 21 attempts.  He ended it by retiring Erick Aybar on a popup with runners at the corners after giving up an RBI single by Albert Pujols.

San Francisco ace Cole Hamels followed up his no-hitter by pitching into the eighth inning of his Texas debut without a decision as the Giants beat the Texas Rangers 9-7 in 11 innings.

Hunter Pence led off the 11th with a homer off Sam Dyson (0-1), another pitcher in his first game for Texas.

Brandon Belt homered twice for the Giants, who have won 14 of their last 17 games.  Belt led off the third with his 11th homer, and added another solo shot in the 11th off Sam Freeman.

In New York, Lucas Duda homered twice and hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning after newcomer Yoenis Cespedes was walked intentionally, leading the Mets to a come-from-behind victory over the Washington Nationals 3-2.

Playing in his first game since being acquired from Detroit on Friday at the trade deadline, Cespedes was walked by reliever Matt Thornton (1-1) even though Duda had connected twice on fireworks night off Joe Ross and has been on a recent tear.

The Colorado Rockies downed the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 after Nolan Arenado and Ben Paulsen homered, while Ben Zobrist hit two homers and Eric Hosmer singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of the Kansas City Royals’ 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Chicago sluggers Melky Cabrera and Alexei Ramirez homered, and John Danks struck out eight batters as the White Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-2.

In other games, Hank Conger hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, and rookie Carlos Correa also homered twice to help the Houston Astros to a 9-2 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Cincinnati Reds edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 and the Oakland Athletics downed the Cleveland Indians 5-1.

Minnesota’s Kurt Suzuki hit the winning RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning as the Twins outlasted the Seattle Mariners 3-2, the Baltimore Orioles downed the Detroit Tigers 6-2, the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-7, the Philadelphia Phillies trounced the Atlanta Braves 12-2 and the San Diego Padres were 5-3 winners over the Miami Marlins.