Kershaw leads Dodgers to 6-3 win to stay atop NL West

Clayton Kershaw delivered another veteran outing Tuesday night, and the Los Angeles Dodgers parlayed it into a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium, a win that kept them alone atop the National League West as they headed into a pivotal homestand. Kershaw worked five innings of one‑run ball on 72 pitches, striking out six and retiring 14 straight batters after yielding an early run, while the Dodgers’ offense chipped in key hits and a four‑run sixth to pull away.

Kershaw, pitching on four days' rest so Shohei Ohtani could start ahead of an off day, mixed an 88 mph fastball with a heavy dose of slider, curveball and a newer splitter to keep an all‑right‑handed Reds lineup off balance. The 37‑year‑old lowered his season ERA to 3.06 and notched his fifth consecutive victory, his longest streak since 2022. Manager Dave Roberts praised Kershaw’s efficiency, saying he has been getting "strike one" and avoiding wasted pitches as the club manages workloads for its rotation.

Los Angeles erased the early deficit in the first inning when Mookie Betts reached on a walk and Freddie Freeman doubled, with Betts scoring on a throwing error by Reds left fielder Austin Hays....