Clayton Kershaw did it all for the Dodgers on Tuesday, pitching a two-hit shutout and driving in two runs himself, guiding the Dodgers to a 4-0 win over the Tigers in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The southpaw struck out 11 Tigers and retired the final 13 batters of the game. It was the 11th career double-digit strikeout game for Kershaw.
It was the second shutout for Kershaw in his last five starts, and the third of his career. The last Dodger to pitch a shutout and collect at least two RBI was Derek Lowe on April 15, 2005. Kershaw improved to 7-3 on the season, and overtook Roy Halladay for the major league lead with 117 strikeouts.
The Dodgers tagged Detroit starter Brad Penny for single runs in the first and sixth innings. Juan Uribe, who entered the game in a 1-for-19 slump, hit a ball into the left field pavilion in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. It was Uribe's first home run since April 29, a span of 120 plate appearances. Doubles by James Loney and Dioner Navarro in the sixth gave the Dodgers a second run, and Kershaw's two-run single in the eighth inning provided the final margin.
The Dodgers got back-to-back shutouts for the first time since July 25-27 last season. Reliever Jonathan Broxton will begin a rehab assignment with Triple A Albuquerque on Tuesday. Chad Billingsley and Max Scherzer start in game two of the series at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.
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