LOS ANGELES – A 36-year-old with a history of leg injuries has made the Dodgers a better baserunning team.
Chase Utley drove in one run with a triple then used aggressive baserunning to spark a three-run sixth inning that gave Clayton Kershaw all the support he needed in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs Friday night.
Kershaw was in his usual dominant form at Dodger Stadium. He held the Cubs to three hits over eight innings, striking out 14 (and forging back into the major-league lead with 236 strikeouts this season). The 14 strikeouts matched a season-high for Kershaw, the most he has had in a game since striking out 15 in his June 18 no-hitter last season.