Trayce Thompson of the Los Angeles Dodgers scores on a Cody Bellinger single, to take a 5-0 lead, during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers scores in front of Andrew Knizner of the St. Louis Cardinals off of a Mookie Betts single, to take a 6-0 lead, during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals smiles on first base during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates his two run homerun with Albert Pujols, to trail 6-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers loses the ball as he attempt to make a throw to first base on a bunt from Dylan Carlson of the St. Louis Cardinals resulting in a single during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts to a called strikeout in front of Austin Barnes of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the second inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery throws to the plate during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith runs the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Miguel Vargas hits a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson runs the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers Trayce Thompson hits a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar hits a double during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar rounds first after hitting a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers Trayce Thompson runs the bases to score on a double by Cody Bellinger during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
Los Angeles Dodgers Cody Bellinger hits an RBI double against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Arenado hits a two-run home run during the sixth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Raul Romero Jr.)
LOS ANGELES — The rest of the starting rotation has become an eroding coastline, moving farther and farther back. But Clayton Kershaw is standing firm.
Kershaw cruised through six efficient innings Saturday night, allowing two runs as the Dodgers won their 105th game of the season, 6-2, over the St. Louis Cardinals.
After losing three of their previous four and scoring a total of six runs in those games (including an 11-0 loss Friday that was their most lop-sided of the season), the Dodgers got their mojo back with three home runs in the first two innings including the first of Miguel Vargas’ big-league career.
Before the game, however, the Dodgers placed Dustin May on the Injured List with lower back tightness, effectively ending his regular season and casting some doubt about his availability and utility for the postseason.
Tony Gonsolin is already on the IL, having spent the past month there with a strained forearm. He is scheduled to pitch two innings on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. There is – repeat after me – some doubt about his availability and utility for the postseason.
That leaves Cy Young Award candidate Julio Urias to front a postseason rotation filled with uncertainty – none involving Kershaw now.
Saturday was Kershaw’s fifth start since returning from his second trip this season to the IL with his recurring back issues. In those five starts, Kershaw has looked refreshed and ready for the postseason.
Kershaw has allowed just six runs over 30 innings in the five starts since he rejoined the rotation, holding batters to a .191 average while striking out 36.
The only blemish on Saturday’s postseason dress rehearsal was a two-run home run by Nolan Arenado in Kershaw’s sixth and final inning.
Held scoreless in 32 of their 36 at-bats during the four-game lull, the Dodgers scored all six of their runs in the first four innings off Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery. Will Smith started it by driving an 0-and-1 curveball into the left-field pavilion for a solo home run in the first inning.
In the second, Trayce Thompson crushed a full-count fastball from Montgomery, sending it 438 feet into the pavilion in left-center.
After Austin Barnes singled, Vargas hit his first major-league home run, a smile creasing his face as he rounded the bases no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.
An RBI double by Cody Bellinger and an RBI single by Mookie Betts added two more runs in the fourth inning.
In a possible foreshadowing of what a post-Kimbrel, Treinen-less bullpen order might look like in October, Chris Martin, Evan Phillips and Tommy Kahnle (in that order) closed out the win, each tossing a hitless inning.
