Kershaw dominating in 4-1 win over Nats

Clayton Kershaw became the first 17-game winner in the majors last night, tossing a brilliant three-hitter against Washington to pace the Dodgers to a 4-1 win.

The only blemish on Kershaw’s gem was a seventh inning home run by Bryce Harper that carried well into the right field bleachers.

Kershaw was locked in a scoreless pitcher’s duel with Washington’s Doug Fister going into the bottom of the fifth when the Dodgers’ hurler decided to take matters into his own hands – and legs.

Kershaw worked the count to 3-2 then singled up the middle. Dee Gordon then hit a tapper up the middle and Kershaw put on the jets, going from first to third in front of a startled Harper in center. Harper’s throw to third was high and wide and when the dust had settled the Dodgers had runners on second and third with one out.

After Hanley Ramirez grounded out to short with the infield in, Adrian Gonzalez, a master at opposite field hitting, rolled a grounder into the hole between third and short. Washington’s Ian Desmond back handed the grounder but bobbled the ball and couldn’t make a throw to first. Gordon rounded third and tried to score on the play and Desmond, who had him dead to rights, air mailed the throw to home about five feet over the catcher’s head and the Dodgers owned a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth Los Angeles gave Kershaw a little more breathing room when Carl Crawford lined a single to right and Juan Uribe unloaded on a line shot homer run to left for a 4-0 lead.

Uribe has been swinging a hot bat since coming off the DL on Sunday.

Kenley Jansen came on in the ninth and struck out the side, notching his 39^th save. Kershaw (17-3) finished with eight strikeouts and lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.70.

Los Angeles Manager Don Mattingly sat the struggling Yasiel Puig in center and started rookie Joc Pederson, who notched his first major league hit and drew a walk. Gonzalez, Crawford and A.J. Ellis led Los Angeles with two hits apiece.

The Dodgers will send rookie Carlos Frias, recently called up from the minors, to the mound in today’s high noon rubber match against Washington’s Jordan Zimmerman (10-5, 2.93).

With the win the Dodgers maintained a two-game lead over the Giants, who stormed back from a 7-1 deficit to down the Rockies 12-7 at Coors Field.