Each night in the 2016 baseball season, we'll run down the top news, facts and highlights from action around Major League Baseball.
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg's back injury denied fans a marquee pitching matchup with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, but at least Kershaw held up his end. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner was dominant yet again in a 4-1 win over Washington on Monday.
MORE: Greatest individual pitching performances in MLB history
Kershaw fired seven innings of one-run ball against the NL East-leading Nationals, striking out eight with no walks, to raise his record to 11-1 and lower his MLB-best ERA to 1.57. The left-hander has now struck out an MLB-best 141 this season. He has walked . . . seven.
Kershaw worked out of trouble in the seventh inning. After allowing an RBI single to Anthony Rendon (just the second run off Kershaw in his last 37 innings), he retired Danny Espinosa on a lineout to left fielder Howie Kendrick and Chris Heisey on a flyout to Kendrick. That ended Kershaw's night after 106 pitches.
Player of the Day
Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians — Lindor filled up the box score against the Rays, going 3 for 4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and a stolen base as the Tribe won their fourth consecutive game and ninth straight at home.
Highlight
Tigers slugger Justin Upton connected on his fourth career walkoff homer, a 12th-inning solo blast to give the Tigers an 8-7 win over the Mariners. He extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run shot earlier in the game.
Justin Upton hits a walk-off home run in the 12th inning, but the real highlight Anibal. pic.twitter.com/PdEdlQ5qJu
— Curtis (@Curtos07) June 21, 2016
Three things to know
— With a 4-3 win over the AL East-leading Orioles, the Rangers have won seven straight games and are an MLB-best 15-4 in June. They're also 16-4 in one-run games this season, best in the majors.
— The Rockies topped the Marlins 5-3, with every run of the game scored via a solo home run, an MLB record. Before Monday, the most runs scored entirely on solo homers was five. Miami's Marcell Ozuna and Colorado's Mark Reynolds led the way with two blasts apiece.
— The Cubs placed leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 19, with right hamstring discomfort. Fowler is batting .290 with 19 doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBIs this season.
FAGAN: How the Cubs clinched the Central in June
What's next
Royals (38-31) at Mets (36-32), 7:10 p.m. ET — The defending league champions will meet for the third time this season. Ian Kennedy (5-5, 4.17 ERA) and the Royals will face Noah Syndergaard (7-2, 1.91 ERA) and the reeling Mets, who have lost six of their past eight.
MORE: Mets reportedly debating whether to sign Jose Reyes
Braves (23-46) at Marlins (37-33), 7:10 p.m. ET — If the Braves are going to win their sixth consecutive game, they will have to do it against Marlins ace Jose Fernandez (9-3, 2.57 ERA). Fernandez has lost just once at home in his career, making the task for Atlanta even more daunting. Braves starter Bud Norris (2-7, 4.81 ERA) will accept the challenge.