Kershaw, who secured his first win of the season with help from Kim Hye-sung's excellent defensive play, faced the St. Louis Cardinals in an away game on the 9th (Korean time).

In the game held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, Kershaw started and pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 hits with no walks, striking out 7, and giving up 1 run.

Kershaw, who led the Dodgers to a 7-3 victory, recorded his first win in his fifth appearance of the season. He lowered his earned run average from 5.17 to 4.35 and increased his career strikeouts to 2,983, surpassing Zack Greinke (2,979) to rank 20th all-time in this institutional sector. He now needs only 17 more strikeouts to reach the milestone of 3,000 strikeouts.

After undergoing surgery on his left big toe and knee following last season, Kershaw rehabilitated and returned to the big leagues on the 18th of last month, but he was not in his previous form. In his first four games (15⅔ innings), he struggled with no wins or losses and an earned run average of 5.17. He also faltered in the game against the New York Mets on the 4th, allowing 6 hits (1 home run) with 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, and 5 runs (3 earned) over 4⅔ innings.

It seemed he was going to collapse, but that was not the case. He announced his revival against St. Louis, allowing no runs through the 4th inning. Although he gave up 1 run in the 5th after allowing 3 hits, he struck out the final batter, Brendan Donovan, with a swing and miss, meeting the requirements for a win as a starting pitcher.

With a total of 82 pitches, he reached a maximum speed of 91.5 mph (147.3 km/h) with an average of 89.6 mph (144.2 km/h), throwing 32 four-seam fastballs and 33 sliders, along with 15 curves and 2 splitters. He collected the most strikeouts, 4, using sliders as his primary pitch and also secured 2 strikeouts with curves. Moreover, 3 strikeouts were recorded on three pitches, showcasing an aggressive pitching style.

There was also defensive help. After 2 outs in the 3rd inning, he faced a long hit ball from Mason Win heading toward the left-center warning track, but center fielder Kim Hye-sung sprinted to make the catch and secure the out. Kershaw raised his right arm to express his gratitude to Kim Hye-sung.

According to 'SportsNet LA', after the game, Kershaw said, “I didn't think Kim Hye-sung would catch that ball. It was a really great play. Honestly, I didn't think it was a well-hit ball, but it kept going. Kim Hye-sung made a fantastic play.”

Kershaw, playing his fifth game since returning, noted, “As always, the start was not easy, but I feel like I'm progressing little by little with each game. The game today was good, and I noticed my stuff is gradually improving. I allowed a hit after two strikes, and there were many full counts, but my overall pitching improved. My control of the curve and slider was generally good. That was the biggest takeaway today.”

In the last game, he struggled with control of his breaking balls, but it was different this day. He garnered 9 swings and misses with sliders and 3 with curves, indicating good movement on his breaking pitches. Kershaw remarked, “I was pleased to induce swings and misses in critical moments. I want to maintain this momentum going forward,” adding, “Control is more important than speed. In the last game, many of my curves were left in the middle.”

The batting lineup also provided appropriate run support, helping Kershaw. In the 2nd inning, Kim Hye-sung hit a 2-run triple toward right field, easing the burden on Kershaw. He emphasized, “Once we score early, I definitely want to protect that lead. The hitters did well today, and the bullpen pitched well, contributing to the team's victory.”

As Kershaw mentioned, several players contributed, but the presence of Kim Hye-sung stood out. In the 2nd inning, with one out and runners on 1st and 3rd after Tommy Edman's timely hit gave them a 1-0 lead, Kim skillfully hit a cutter that came in high at 89.3 mph (143.7 km/h) on the 3rd pitch from St. Louis right-handed starter Michael McGreevy, driving a line drive down the right field line. This was a 2-run timely hit, marking his first major league debut triple, increasing the score to 3-0. His speed in sprinting to third was impressive.

In the 3rd inning, Kim Hye-sung showcased his defensive skills as a center fielder, but in the 4th he struck out swinging and was replaced by left-hander Jon King in the 7th inning with Kiké Hernández as a pinch hitter. Kim recorded 1 hit and 2 RBIs in 2 at-bats, raising his season batting average from .411 to .414 (24 hits in 58 at-bats) as the game concluded.

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