Behind a fence in the left-field corner of Dodger Stadium, the relief corps of the Dodgers lounged on folding chairs as ninth inning began Thursday.
The relievers had idled all evening, not one member of the group rising to loosen up, as Clayton Kershaw completed his latest masterwork. Kershaw granted them the night off.
In a 5-0 victory, one that allowed the Dodgers to split a four-game series with the Mets, Kershaw delivered his second shutout of the season. He surrendered only three hits. No Met touched third base. He struck out 13, reaching a double-digit total for the fifth consecutive game.