ANAHEIM, Calif. — In a pitcher’s duel between a blossoming talent and a future Hall of Famer, Reid Detmers and Clayton Kershaw put on a show for a full house at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night before an odd hop and trio of hard singles played the difference in a Dodgers 2-0 victory over the Angels.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Reid Detmers Shines Against Clayton Kershaw

Following two starts of allowing one run in each, Reid Detmers continued his hot stretch of missing bats and limiting runs on Tuesday with seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts (for the third consecutive start) and just three baserunners.

“It might have been the best one I’ve seen him throw — and yes, I know he threw a no-hitter last year,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin. “I thought the was probably the best I’ve seen him considering how the game was going.”

Countering Detmers was Clayton Kershaw who also went seven scoreless innings, with the Angels two opportunities to score being thwarted by an overturned call at the plate and groundballs hit where defenders were placed.

“Certainly we had our chance,” Nevin said. “One of the best pitchers in the game is never going to give in. That’s why he’s going to the Hall of Fame.”

With the battle leading to a 0-0 score into the eighth, Kershaw had high praise for his duel-mate.
“Detmers threw the ball really well,” Kershaw said postgame. “He’s got good stuff. Really, he pitched better than I did.”

Game of Luck

Following a flyout to leadoff the eighth, Miguel Rojas lined a ball down the first base line that awkwardly bounced over Kevin Padlo’s head and down the right field line for a double. The Dodgers offense strung together three hard groundball singles through the remainder of the eighth to gain, and later hold, a 2-0 lead.

“First bad hop I’ve seen on this field,” Nevin said. “It’s just baseball. It was a great game. There was a couple things that didn’t go our way.”

Replay Bananza

In the fourth, the Angels attempted aggression to take an early lead against Kershaw. Following a two-out single from Brandon Drury, Hunter Renfroe lined a ball to left-center. James Outman took an awkward route to the ball, and it suddenly became a play at the plate after an aggressive send of Drury from first by Angels third base coach, Bill Haselman.

The relay throw beat Drury to the plate, but he attempted a swim-move to get around Dodgers catcher Will Smith and was initially called safe. After a lengthy review, and a frantic crowd filled with opinions, Drury was called out after review.

“I’m just really confused on how this replay system works,” Nevin said. “Just get rid of it because umpires are really good. Let them work the game.”

An awkward hop and two pitchers performing at their peak was the difference in a thoroughly enjoyable game between the Angels and Dodgers with the team in blue winning 2-0.

I thought it was a great baseball game all around,” said Nevin. “It was fun to be a part of. I love those back-and-forth pitching duels and thinking through. I thought it was a really fun night at the ballpark. It just didn’t go our way.”

Dodgers, 2; Angels, 0

W – Clayton Kershaw (9-4, 2.72)

L – Chris Devenski (3-2, 3.08)

S – Evan Phillips (8, 2.20)