Clayton Kershaw Confident Dodgers Can Improve

The Los Angeles Dodgers snapped a five-game losing streak and salvaged their road trip with a 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, led in part by a strong start from Clayton Kershaw.

The left-hander allowed just two runs on four hits and collected eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched en route to his 10th win of the season.

It was a much-needed boost to a Dodgers team that has been reeling of late. They suffered their most deflating loss of the season on Saturday, which saw Yoshinobu Yamamoto fall one out short of a no-hitter and the bullpen squander a two-run lead.

Kershaw believes the Dodgers entered the series finale in much better spirits and played the way he knows they are capable of, via SportsNet LA:

“Look, when you struggle, it’s not fun. It just seems like anything that can happen, happens. It’s the same thing when you’re winning. It feels like you can’t do anything wrong and you’re going to win every game that you play. It’s hard to break the cycle one way or the other. Obviously, Yama’s performance was incredible, and obviously a tough one last night. But everybody came in here with a good mindset. Everybody came in here ready to win a game today. That’s really all you can do. Just keep showing up, keep going on the field, keep playing. We’re too good for it not to turnaround. Just kind of a complete performance today by everybody, and got the win.”

Kershaw set the tone in the Dodgers’ win on Sunday, and the bullpen bounced back with 3.1 scoreless innings from Edgardo Henriquez, Justin Wrobleski and Jack Dreyer.

The Dodgers also jumped out to an early lead, with Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts combining for three home runs in the first three innings.

The Dodgers went just 1-5 on their road trip but with their win on Sunday guaranteed they would remain in sole possession of first place in the National League West.

Next is a short homestand consisting of only a series against the Colorado Rockies.

Pirates rookie gifted Clayton Kershaw autographed ball

Earlier in the Dodgers’ road trip, Emmet Sheehan found himself at the center of controversy after Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Cam Devanney recorded his first career Major League hit.

The Pirates signaled for Sheehan to throw the ball to their dugout after getting a new one from the home-plate umpire, but he instead appeared to do a double switch in his glove and continued to use it.

Dodgers broadcaster Stephen Nelson revealed that Sheehan cleared the air with Devanney after the game and gave him an autographed ball from Kershaw to make up for his mistake.