Dodgers' walk-off HR, not Kershaw, beats Phillies
Rookie Will Smith hit a walk-off home run in his fourth career game as the Los Angeles Dodgers remained undefeated in Clayton Kershaw starts with a 4-3 victory Saturday over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
Smith, who was called up this week when Austin Barnes went on the injured list, lifted a full-count split-finger pitch from Hector Neris (1-2) in the ninth inning into the left-field corner for his first career home run. The Dodgers won for the eighth time in their last nine games.
The Phillies had just gotten back into the game in the eighth, one inning after Kershaw departed. Reliever Julio Urias hit Jean Segura with a pitch and Bryce Harper followed with a two-run home run into the seats in left field, his 11th of the season, to tie the score 3-3.
Kershaw gave up one run on six hits over seven innings with no walks and six strikeouts. The Dodgers are now a perfect 9-0 in Kershaw starts this season and have won each of his last 17 starts going back to August of last season.
Despite giving up one more run than Kershaw over five fewer innings, Urias (3-2) ended up with the victory.
Jose Alvarez started for the Phillies and went two scoreless innings as Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler used an opener for the first time. After an out from Juan Nicasio, left-hander Cole Irvin followed with 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Enrique Hernandez. It was the seventh RBI in the past six games for Hernandez and his 28th of the season. His previous seven RBIs came over 19 games.
The Phillies broke through against Kershaw in the fourth inning with some shaky Dodgers defense. Harper singled and went to second base on a wild pitch from Kershaw that got past rookie catcher Smith.
A fielding error by Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy allowed Harper to move to third and T.J. Realmuto followed with an RBIs single to make it 1-1.
The Dodgers' David Freese, who started a game in the leadoff spot for just the fourth time in his career, hit a home run in the fifth inning. His drive off an Irvin slider was his fifth of the season.
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was not in the starting lineup for the third consecutive day because of a mild tightness in his right hamstring.
--Field Level Media
