Dodgers 2, Cardinals 0
LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw allowed just one hit and struck out 11 in eight shutout innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Right fielder Yasiel Puig, who missed 38 games with a strained left hamstring before being activated Saturday, broke up a scoreless contest by driving in a run as the Dodgers (32-24) snapped a three-game skid and ended the Cardinals' four-game winning streak.
Los Angeles beat St. Louis for only the second time in six meetings this season.
Kershaw had not faced the Cardinals (37-19) since Game 4 of last season's National League Division Series in St. Louis, where he and the Dodgers dropped a crushing 3-2 decision. The loss eliminated the Dodgers from the playoffs, the second year in a row the Cardinals bounced them from postseason play.
However, Kershaw (5-3) dominated St. Louis on Saturday. He allowed just a second-inning single by right fielder Randal Grichuk while walking two on 106 pitches (75 strikes). He retired the final 11 batters he faced. Kershaw has a 4-2 mark against the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium.
Closer Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save.
St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia matched Kershaw with zeros until the seventh. Left fielder Chris Heisey led off the inning with a double that got past third baseman Pete Kozma and down the left-field line. Puig, who struck out in his first two-at bats, followed with a double in the gap in right-center for a 1-0 Dodgers' lead.
Puig scored on Justin Turner's RBI single up the middle for a 2-0 advantage.
Garcia (1-3) allowed two runs on six hits, fanning six and walking none in seven innings.
Los Angeles had seven hits overall.
NOTES: Cardinals 3B Matt Carpenter left the game in the fourth inning with a right triceps contusion. Carpenter was hit by a pitch in the first inning by Kershaw, but he stayed in the game until the bottom of the fourth. Carpenter, who is hitting .308 with eight homers, is listed as day-to-day. ... Despite St. Louis' recent success against the Dodgers, Don Mattingly said before Saturday's game that he doesn't believe the Cardinals are in his players' heads. "They don't really scare me, honestly," the Dodgers manager said. "I'm way more concerned about how we're playing. In a short series, it's a matter of who plays better that day. We've won the series the last two years as far as the (regular) season, but it didn't make any difference during the playoffs." ... To make room for RF Yasiel Puig, who was activated Saturday, the Dodgers optioned OF Scott Schebler to Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (4-4, 3.03 ERA) will face Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.97) in the series finale on Sunday.