LOS ANGELES -- Justin Turner and Joc Pederson homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night before 44,712 at Dodger Stadium.
The anticipated pitching matchup between Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals didn't materialize after Strasburg (10-0, 2.90 ERA) was scratched with an upper back strain less than two hours before the opening pitch.
Kershaw (11-1), who won his 10th consecutive start, had his way again with the Nationals, limiting them to a run and six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. Kershaw beat Washington for the eighth straight time.
The Nationals (43-28) have dropped three in a row.
Reliever Joe Blanton worked a scoreless eighth inning before Kenley Jansen came on to pitch a perfect ninth for his 20th save of the season, becoming the Dodgers' franchise leader with 162 and breaking Eric Gagne's mark. Jansen also is the first Dodger with 20 saves in five seasons.
Yusmeiro Petit replaced Strasburg. Petit (2-1) gave up three runs and five hits with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
The Nationals tried to rally from a 3-0 deficit. A run-scoring single by Anthony Rendon allowed the Nationals to slice the Dodgers' lead to 3-1 with one out in the seventh. They had runners at second and third with two outs, but Kershaw forced pinch-hitter Chris Heisey to fly out to left.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers tacked on a run when Chase Utley singled home Howie Kendrick for a 4-1 lead.
Corey Seager went 2-for-4 with two doubles for Los Angeles (39-33), which won its fourth in a row.
Justin Turner's solo shot to center with two outs in the first inning gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. With his 10th home run of the season and seventh this month, Turner extended his hitting streak to eight games. He has five homers during that span.
Corey Seager led off the fourth with a ground-rule double and scored on Turner's RBI single to right for a 2-0 advantage.
Joc Pederson launched a blast in the fifth for his 13th home run to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.
NOTES: The Dodgers will wait until Tuesday to activate RF Yasiel Puig (strained left hamstring), manager Dave Roberts said. Roberts seemed hesitant to throw Puig immediately into the line of fire against Nationals scheduled starter RHP Stephen Strasburg. However, Strasburg (upper back strain) was scratched less than two hours before the opening pitch. ... Washington manager Dusty Baker was asked about the pickoff move of LHP Clayton Kershaw before the game. "Well, he has a balk move; we've already looked at that, and I hope the umpires are aware of that. He had eight (balks), but they've only called two. He's only had 10 base runners (all season)," Baker joked. Kershaw had three balks entering the contest. ... Washington RHP Tanner Roark (6-4, 3.14 ERA) will face Los Angeles LHP Scott Kazmir (5-3, 4.64) on Tuesday.