Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score on Sep 18, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 18, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- Clayton Kershaw looked every bit the perennial Cy Young Award candidate for much of the Monday night game. However, a few mistakes turned a potential win into a loss.

Aaron Altherr hit a sixth-inning grand slam off Kershaw, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 win over Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

The Dodgers (96-54) took a 2-0 lead with back-to-back home runs to open the first inning, and they still held that edge entering the sixth inning against the seemingly lifeless Phillies (59-91). Kershaw (17-4) had allowed two hits through the first five innings.

Pinch hitter Ty Kelly, batting for Phillies starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (6-10), led off the sixth inning with a walk, the first free pass Kershaw allowed. An out was followed by a bloop single off the bat of shortstop Freddy Galvis, putting the tying run aboard with one out.

Kershaw struck out Nick Williams for the second out, bringing rookie slugger Rhys Hoskins to the plate. Hoskins, who has dominated headlines with power numbers in his first month-plus, worked a seven-pitch walk.

Altherr, the next batter, swung and missed at a first-pitch slider before letting a curveball go by in the dirt. Kershaw's 1-1 pitch was another breaking ball, a slider that stayed up in the zone and barely broke. Altherr pounded it to the upper deck in left field for his second career grand slam.

The offensive outburst turned a loss into a win for Pivetta, who allowed just the two first-inning runs in six innings. He gave up four hits and struck out eight against two walks.

Los Angeles outfielder Chris Taylor led off the game with an inside-the-park home run off the wall in left-center. That was followed by a home run from third baseman Justin Turner to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead five pitches into the game.

Pivetta settled down and was rarely in trouble again. He induced an inning-ending double play from Yasiel Puig with runners at first and third in the third and then retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced.

Kershaw's night was finished after the sixth. The lefty surrendered four runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.

Hector Neris recorded his 22nd save for the Phillies despite allowing a solo homer to Curtis Granderson in the ninth. He struck out Corey Seager and Yasmani Grandal after the home run to end the game.

The Phillies have won five of seven.

The Dodgers entered Monday with a magic number of four to clinch the National League West.

NOTES: Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw had his record against the Phillies fall to 3-5 lifetime. The Phillies are one of only three teams Kershaw has a losing record against. ... The Dodgers haven't lost a series in Philadelphia since 2011. ... In game two of three Tuesday night, the Dodgers send RHP Yu Darvish (9-12, 4.08 ERA) to the mound to face Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (11-10, 3.60).