Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the second inning of their baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, April 27, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LOS ANGELES –Los Angeles pitcher Clayton Kershaw won his 10th straight decision as the Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Friday in a clash of the early pacesetters in the National League.
Kershaw (2-0) allowed three hits over eight innings with six strikeouts and only one walk. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to win 10 consecutive decisions since Ramon Martinez across the 1995 and 1996 seasons.
Kershaw also joined Ed Roebuck and Orel Hershiser as the only Dodgers to win 12 decisions in a row at home since the franchise moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. Kershaw’s home streak has spanned 16 starts, with a 1.22 ERA.
Andre Ethier hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers while Kenley Jansen pitched a hitless ninth for his first save of the season.
Washington starter Ross Detwiler (2-1) allowed three runs over six innings.
Around National League:
CARDINALS 13, BREWERS 1
In St. Louis, the hosts scored eight runs in the third inning to set up a rout of Milwaukee.
Matt Holliday had three hits for the Cardinals, who set season highs for an inning and a game.
St. Louis starting pitcher Jake Westbrook (3-1) gave up one run over seven innings. He has allowed two earned runs or less in all four of his starts this season.
The Cardinals sent 12 batters to the plate in the third to prematurely end the night for Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo (1-2), who gave up eight earned runs in two-plus innings. He lost for the ninth time in 10 regular-season starts against St. Louis.
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BRAVES 6, PIRATES 1
In Atlanta, Tommy Hanson (3-2) allowed one run in six innings to steer Atlanta past Pittsburgh.
Dan Uggla and Chipper Jones came through in a four-run seventh.
A.J. Burnett (1-1) went six innings for the Pirates, pitching well but not enough to prevent his eighth loss in nine career decisions at Turner Field.
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ROCKIES 18, METS 9
In Denver, Carlos Gonzalez was at the center of an 11-run fifth inning, hitting a homer and a single to drive in five of his six RBIs, as Colorado punished New York.
Ramon Hernandez hit his sixth career grand slam — and first for the Rockies this season — as Colorado set a season high for runs.
The Mets lost heavily despite Scott Hairston becoming the 10th player in Mets history and first in the majors this season to hit for the cycle. He drove in four runs but it wasn’t enough on a night when pitching was an afterthought and the ball was flying all over the place in the Mile High City’s thin air.
New York committed six errors, one shy of the team worst. The 11 runs the Mets allowed in the fifth matched a club mark for one inning.
Matt Reynolds (3-0) picked up the win. Manny Acosta (0-1) took the loss.
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DIAMONDBACKS 5, MARLINS 0
In Miami, Joe Saunders pitched a shutout in Arizona’s win over Miami, which suffered a sixth straight loss.
Saunders (2-1) notched the third shutout of his career and dropped his ERA from 1.29 to 0.90.
Jason Kubel tied a career best with four hits for the Diamondbacks, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Miami starter Carlos Zambrano (0-2) pitched six innings, giving up 10 hits. The Marlins failed to get a runner past first base, and have scored only six runs in their six straight defeats.
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ASTROS 6, REDS 4
In Cincinnati, Jose Altuve drove in two runs with a triple and a double, lifting Houston over Cincinnati.
Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez (2-2) gave up two runs in six innings. He has allowed only one earned run over 14 innings across his past two starts.
Astros first baseman Carlos Lee left in the first because of a sprained left ankle and is expected to miss a couple of games.
Houston chased Reds starter Mike Leake (0-3) with a four-run fourth inning.
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PADRES 5, GIANTS 3
In San Francisco, Nick Hundley matched his career high with four hits to help San Diego beat San Francisco.
Cory Luebke (3-1) pitched six strong innings giving up two runs to win his third consecutive start.
Giants pitcher Eric Hacker (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start, allowing three runs over six innings.
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CUBS 5, PHILLIES 1
In Philadelphia, Paul Maholm outpitched Roy Halladay to lead Chicago past Philadelphia.
Maholm (2-2) allowed one run in 6 1-3 innings, dropping his still high ERA from 8.36 to 6.20.
Halladay (3-2) was unhittable at the start, retiring 10 straight batters with four strikeouts, but gave up three runs in a three-inning stretch to fall to 1-5 lifetime against Chicago.
There was little chance of the Phillies bats making up for it, as they have scored two runs or less in the majority of their games this season.