.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers used their entire lineup to take over sole possession of first place in the NL West.
Clayton Kershaw won his fourth consecutive start, Matt Kemp drove in three runs and the Dodgers won their fourth consecutive game, 9-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Eight Los Angeles players scored at least one run and seven had an RBI.
"We're a pretty dangerous ballclub right now," Kemp said.
The Dodgers beat the Pirates 11-0 on Tuesday and go for the four-game sweep Thursday. They have scored 30 runs during the four-game winning streak.
Kemp had a two-run double and scored during the Dodgers' three-run fourth against Wandy Rodriguez. Shane Victorino singled and scored in that inning, part of his 3-for-5, two-run game.
Kershaw (11-6) had one of his two singles in the fourth, and he allowed three runs on six hits in eight innings. Kershaw had eight strikeouts and no walks.
"It was a great night," Kershaw said. "Any time you get that many runs, you just try to attack the strike zone and make them beat you. Fortunately, tonight I didn't walk anybody. Yeah, they got some hits, but when you have a 9-2 lead... you go out there, pound the zone and let your defense work."
The Dodgers have won six of their last seven games, claiming sole possession of the division lead for the first time since July 13.
"Ultimately we want to be in first place Oct. 3, but it's always good to feel like you're in first place and to be in first place," Kershaw said.
The Pirates lost their third consecutive game and their grip on a National League wild card spot. They hope they didn't lose their second baseman to injury, too.
Neil Walker dislocated the pinky finger on his right hand while attempting to turn a double play during the first inning.
Walker had an X-ray on his finger that was negative and will see a hand specialist Thursday morning.
"I'm pretty confident I can avoid the DL," Walker said after the game. "I had the same injury on a finger on my glove hand in 2009 (in Tripe-A), and it healed pretty quickly -- though I also tore my PCL at the same time and missed the rest of the season."
Walker fielded Matt Kemp's grounder and tumbled over a sliding Mark Ellis as he was forcing him out at second and in the process of throwing to first. Walker landed awkwardly on his right hand and lay on the ground writhing in pain.
"I was kind of coming at the bag at a weird ankle and he kind of clipped my leg," Walker said. "I ended up rolling forward and as soon as I hit the ground I knew what happened. It was bent like a Z and they (the trainers) had to pop it back in."
Andrew McCutchen hit his career-high 24th home run for Pittsburgh, which has lost six of seven.
Los Angeles, which is 6-0 against the Pirates this season, passed both Pittsburgh in the wild-card race and division rival San Francisco in the NL West.
The Dodgers did not have a home run but tied a season high with 15 hits. Andre Ethier went 3 for 5 with a run and Hanley Ramirez had two hits, a run and an RBI for the Dodgers.
Victorino has a nine-game hitting streak and Kemp has a hit in seven consecutive games.
The Dodgers are 9-3 since Aug. 3.
"We're playing good right now," Kershaw said. "I don't want to say it's perfect -- but we're playing pretty good right now."
Gaby Sanchez had two doubles for Pittsburgh, which has lost nine of its past 13 at home and is 3-7 on a season-high 11-game homestand. The Pirates entered the homestand with the best home record in the majors.
Pittsburgh's players held a team meeting 3 1/2 hours before first pitch, but it failed to help. The Pirates' combined 17-run margin of defeat the past two games is easily their worst for a two-game stretch this season.
Rodriguez (7-12) remained winless in four starts with the Pirates since being acquired for three prospects in a July 24 trade from Houston. He was charged with five runs on 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings, striking out one.
Rodriguez fell to 0-3 with Pittsburgh, and the Pirates have lost each of his past three starts.
The Dodgers' first two batters of the game singled against Rodriguez, and Victorino scored on Kemp's fielder's choice in which Walker was injured.
The Dodgers broke the game open with a four-run seventh against Chris Resop. James Loney, Luis Cruz, A.J. Ellis and Kershaw had RBIs in the inning.
"We were able to tack on runs that were there for us if we were able to put the ball in play," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "And we were able to do that tonight."
NOTES: The Dodgers have beaten the Pirates nine consecutive times dating to last season -- a record since the team moved to Los Angeles. The Brooklyn Dodgers beat Pittsburgh 13 straight times in 1952. ... The Dodgers are 12-4 in road games since the All-star break. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett lost a home start for the first time this season in his most recent outing Saturday. He will start the series finale Thursday against RHP Joe Blanton. Blanton is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts with Los Angeles since being acquired in a trade from Philadelphia.
