With Kershaw in command, Dodgers slip past Diamondbacks, 4-3

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Clayton Kershaw, budding ace, was doing his old nervous dance early. Giving up hits, walking guys, throwing too many pitches.

Trouble for the Diamondbacks was, after that he looked like the more recent version of Kershaw, throwing nothing but blanks in his seven innings, as the Dodgers overcame a nervous ninth to take a 4-3 victory over Arizona before an announced crowd of 35,506.

After pitching out of early trouble, Kershaw retired his last 14 consecutive Diamondbacks. He struck out a season-high 11 on the night. He looked exactly like the ace the Dodgers believe he’s becoming.

The victory raised Kershaw’s record to 5-3 and lowered his ERA to 2.75.

Vicente Padilla gave up a pair of ninth-inning runs and was unable to earn the save. With two runners on, the Dodgers went to Kenley Jansen to get the last out, and he earned the first save of his year. Jansen struck out Melvin Mora on a 97-mph fastball for the final out.

It was not exactly an anomaly that Kershaw had to pitch out of trouble in two of the first three innings.

In the first, Chris Young and Mora led off with back-to-back doubles -- and the Diamondbacks failed to score. Mora’s was a blooper in shallow right that had first baseman James Loney and second baseman Aaron Miles run into each other, the ball going off Miles’ glove.

Young, having to hold halfway to second in case the ball was caught, could only advance to third. Kershaw then struck out Xavier Nady and Stephen Drew, and popped up Justin Upton.

After retiring the side in order in the second, Kershaw seemed back on his game … until walking pitcher Joe Saunders to lead off the third. Young followed with another bloop single in shallow right, Saunders stopping at second. Kershaw struck out Mora, but walked Nady to load the bases.

He again struck out Drew and got Upton to fly out to Jerry Sands in left.

The Diamondbacks had come up empty on two sweet scoring opportunities, and they wouldn’t get another against Kershaw.

Kershaw never allowed another baserunner. He left for a pinch-hitter after holding Arizona scoreless in seven innings on five hits and two walks.

The Dodgers weren’t having any better luck with Saunders early, despite the 0-4 record and 5.72 ERA he took into the game. He’d held the Dodgers scoreless through four innings on one hit.

But with one out in fifth, catcher Rod Barajas launched a high drive that just cleared the left-field wall. It marked his seventh home run of the season, tying Matt Kemp for the team high.

The Dodgers added one more in the sixth after Jamey Carroll led off with a single, and on a hit-and-run, took third on a Miles’ base hit. Andre Ethier lined out to second, before Kemp doubled off the center-field wall, a drive Young seemed to misjudge.

Juan Uribe was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Loney lined out to center and Barajas struck out.

The Dodgers added two more, however, in the seventh after Carroll walked with two outs. He scored when Drew threw away a Miles bouncer into the hole for an error, Miles ending up at third.

That was it for Saunders, but Ethier’s infield hit off reliever Joe Patterson scored Miles, and the Dodgers had a 4-0 lead.

The Diamondbacks finally scored in the eighth against reliever Matt Guerrier when Nady’s bloop single fell in front of Ethier. Padilla gave up two runs on a walk and pair of singles, before giving way to Jansen. ALSO:

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-- Steve Dilbeck