Dodgers' Kershaw tops Lincecum for 20th win

Los Angeles Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw strengthened his nomination for a Cy Young Award by beating the San Francisco Giants, 2-1, Tuesday night at Chavez Ravine for his 20th win. The ace has an ERA of 2.27 - tops in the majors.

Kershaw became the club's first 20-game winner in 21 years, with four of those victories (including Tuesday night's) against two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Three of the wins were by scores of 2-1, and the other was a 1-0 decision.

"He's leading in a lot of categories and putting up a 20-win season is huge, especially with the team they've got," Lincecum said.

Kershaw (20-5) is vying to win the so-called triple crown of pitching. He's tied with Arizona's Ian Kennedy for the NL lead in wins, his ERA is tops in baseball, and his 242 strikeouts lead the league. The last Dodgers pitcher to claim the triple crown was Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax from 1963-65, when he won the Cy Young in each of those seasons.

Before taking the mound Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox lefthander Erik Bedard was served legal papers by a process server wearing a Yankees shirt.

Yankees fan Tom Cabral told the New York Post that he wasn't trying to rattle Bedard when he served him with papers seeking an increase in child support for his 5-year-old daughter.

"When I walked in I was like, 'I'm a Yankees fan, but I'm not trying to [give you a hard time],' " Cabral said. "He said it was no problem."

Bedard's one-time partner, Courtney Roberts, filed a complaint in Suffolk (Mass.) Probate and Family Court on Tuesday asking for an adjustment to the original paternity agreement from 2006 because Bedard's salary has increased.

After the game, Bedard, who was making his first start since Sept. 3 because of a sore left knee, said the unexpected legal action was not a distraction. "If you play a sport you have to put all that stuff aside," he said.

Still, he lasted just 22/3 innings, and gave up four runs in Boston's 7-5 loss to the Orioles.

- Staff and wire reports