Kershaw continues dominance, Grichuk walk-off lifts Cardinals

Omnisports

May 24, 2016 10:12 AM

Clayton Kershaw was in dominant form for the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the St Louis Cardinals were lifted by Randal Grichuk.

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Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw continued to put up gaudy numbers in perhaps his best season to date as he guided the side to a slender 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

The left-hander needed 102 pitches to blank the Reds for the 15th complete-game shutout of his career, and third of the season.

Kershaw allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out seven batters.

Kershaw is now the first Dodgers starter to last at least seven innings in each of his first 10 starts since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

Randal Grichuk hit a two-out, solo walk-off homer to give the St Louis Cardinals a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs in the first of a three-game series at Busch Stadium, and Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer as the Los Angeles Angels sealed a 2-0 victory over the Texas Rangers.

The New York Mets pummelled Gio Gonzalez for seven runs and 10 hits as they completed a 7-1 drubbing of the Washington Nationals, veteran Ichiro Suzuki helped the Miami Marlins to a 7-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies combined for six solo home runs as the former prevailed 5-4.

Salvador Perez had a career-high five hits as the Kansas City Royals crushed the Minnesota Twins 10-4, a four-run eighth inning saw the Oakland Athletics claim a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners and the San Francisco Giants edged the San Diego Padres 1-0.

The Cleveland Indians split their double-header against the Chicago White Sox, claiming a 5-1 win after a 7-6 loss, while the Pittsburgh Pirates overcame the Colorado Rockies 6-3. PEREZ PREVAILS

The reigning World Series MVP went five-for-five with an RBI and three runs scored. Perez recorded his second triple of the season in the seventh inning against the Twins.

PUJOLS HITS BIG

Angels slugger Pujols connected on his 569th career home run, a third-inning blast off of Rangers' Derek Holland. The long ball ties Pujols with Rafael Palmeiro for 12th on the all-time career home run list.

Closing in on 3,000 career hits, Marlins outfielder Suzuki went four-for-five with an RBI and a run scored. Ichiro now has more hits (10) in his last three games than $300million team-mate Giancarlo Stanton has in his last 18 (nine). Ichiro needs 40 more hits to become the 30th player in history to reach 3,000.

Meanwhile, as a part of a three-for-three night, Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera hit the 500th double of his major league career. He is the 62nd player in MLB history to reach 500 doubles.

The hottest team in baseball, the Giants, will send Jeff Samardzija (6-2, 2.66 ERA) to the mound against Andrew Cashner (2-3, 4.93 ERA) and the Padres. San Francisco have won 11 of their last 12 games, and overtaken the Dodgers for first place in the National League West.

Omnisports

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