Kershaw Dominates Again, Dodgers Win

(AP) Giants continue downward spiral with 4-1 loss
By RICK EYMER
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO
Sergio Romo dressed quickly following yet another loss. He then pulled his hood over his head and briskly walked out of the clubhouse.

The usually jovial Giants’ closer perhaps could not face another round of questions regarding the state of the Giants.

Romo gave up a two-out, bases-clearing double to A.J. Ellis to snap a tie and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the slumping San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Sunday.

The Giants are 3-13 since their last winning streak of any kind, a two-game stretch over the San Diego Padres June 18-19. They have not won more than two in a row since beating the Atlanta Braves three straight May 3-5.

All-star Clayton Kershaw (8-5) and Gaudin engaged in a tight duel, with Gaudin working seven innings.

Yasiel Puig singled off Romo (3-4) to open the ninth. Adrian Gonzalez followed with a sharp single that first baseman Buster Posey initially knocked down. Posey tried flipping the ball to shortstop Joaquin Arias covering second but threw the ball into left field for an error

When San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval raced to retrieve the ball, Puig alertly advanced to third. Hanley Ramirez was retired on a comebacker, Andre Ethier was intentionally walked to load the bases and Juan Uribe struck out before Ellis lined a two-out double into left-center.

Bochy said Posey did an admirable job just getting to the ball Gonzalez hit.

Kershaw beat the Giants for the third time this season. He’s 8-4 against them overall.

Kershaw allowed the Giants’ run in the third after Quiroz doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Andres Torres’ sacrifice fly.

Gaudin, who had been out since getting hit in the right elbow by a line drive from Miami’s Derek Dietrich on June 20, was just as sharp as the Dodgers’ three-time All-Star.

He retired 12 of 13 during one stretch and also worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh by striking out Uribe before departing. Gaudin finished with nine strikeouts _ his most since June 28, 2009 _ and one intentional walk.

NOTES: LHP Mike Kickham was optioned to Triple-A Fresno before the game to make room for Gaudin. … Giants RHP Santiago Casilla will pitch at least twice more in the minors before rejoining the big league club, Bochy said. … San Francisco also got good news on RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who has missed the past two months with a broken right hand. Vogelsong played catch before Sunday’s game and could resume throwing off a mound as early as the All-Star break. … Home run king Barry Bonds was in attendance. … San Francisco RHP Tim Lincecum (4-9) will go against the Mets seeking his first win since June 4.