Adrian Gonzalez looked to be the Dodgers hero again on Sunday, but was not given enough support from the rest of the team to get the win. The Dodgers lost 5-3 in the final game of the series against St. Louis.
Gonzalez homered for the second day in a row, scoring Carl Crawford in the first inning. He also hit a single in the fifth inning to score Clayton Kershaw for his third RBI of the day and sixth in two games.
Gonzalez is responsible for scoring six of the Dodgers' last eight runs.
The lineup squandered several scoring opportunities in late innings to tie the game.
In the sixth, Kershaw was allowed to hit for himself with bases loaded and one out before grounding into a double play. He then allowed the winning run to score in his next inning pitched and was removed from the game.
In the seventh, the Dodgers loaded the bases again with one out, but A.J. Ellis and Skip Schumaker both struck out against Trevor Rosenthal to end the inning.
The last opportunity to score came in the eighth after Dee Gordon reached base on a bunt single. Matt Kemp, who was out of the starting lineup, was brought in to pinch hit and promptly hit into a double play ending the inning and stranding the Dodgers' ninth runner on base.
Kershaw was given the loss in his first non-quality start of the season.
He allowed three runs in the second inning, loading the bases with a walk, a double, and a walk to the first three batters of the inning. Pete Kozma then hit a double to left, clearing the bases for three runs.
Besides the second inning, Kershaw looked good in seven innings of play.
It took three Dodgers relievers to get out of the ninth inning. Matt Guerrier gave up a hit and a walk and was taken out for Paco Rodriguez.
Rodriguez’s outing lasted only two pitches, allowing a single to Matt Adams, which scored the Cardinals' insurance run. Javy Guerra was brought in to finish the inning with two strikeouts.
The loss ends the series against St. Louis and gives the Dodgers a 20-28 record. They face the red-hot Angels, who are in the middle of an eight-game winning streak, starting on Monday for a four-game freeway series.
