LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw and batterymate A. Lee Smith Jersey .J. Ellis were in agreement for nine innings, especially on one specific point: Losing the game would be much worse than seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers ace lose his scoreless innings streak. Chase Headley snapped Kershaws streak at 41 innings with a tying homer in the sixth, but the two-time Cy Young Award winner finished with a three-hitter and 11 strikeouts in a 2-1 victory Thursday night over the San Diego Padres. Kershaw (11-2) won his eighth straight start and came within 18 innings of the major league record set by Dodgers right-hander Orel Hershiser, who threw 59 consecutive shutout innings in 1988. "I was barely thinking about the streak at all, and I know he wasnt," Ellis said. "I mean, we werent close to anything that was worth starting to get excited about. We were more disappointed that the game was tied. So we had to bear down, keep the game where it was and hope we could scratch out another run." Headleys seventh homer halted the longest scoreless streak in the majors since Brandon Webb went 42 innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007. Kershaws run tied Luis Tiant for the fifth-longest in the expansion era (since 1961). "It was over the fence, so it was a mistake -- and it tied the game," Kershaw said. "When its a game like that, one mistake can kill you. Fortunately for me, that one mistake didnt." The 26-year-old lefty became the third pitcher in the last 100 years to win eight straight starts in one season while striking out at least seven batters in each one. The others were Sandy Koufax (1966) and Juan Marichal (1967). "It doesnt get more competitive than him," Ellis said. "Hes every adjective you could think of. Hes unique, special, just amazing out there. Theres just a relentless will to win. He imposes his will on the opposing team." Kershaw faced the Padres for the first time this season. Last year, he was 1-3 with a 3.33 ERA in four starts against them. "He was tough all night," Headley said. "He threw me a slider that didnt have a whole lot on it. It stayed out over the plate and I was able to put a good swing on it. But he was tremendous again. He showed why hes one of the best pitchers in the game. It seems like hes throwing his breaking pitches more. Last year was more fastball and slider." Kershaw missed five weeks because of a strained muscle in his upper back following his opening-day victory against the Diamondbacks in Australia. But he has a 1.98 ERA in 14 starts, giving him his most wins and lowest ERA before the All-Star break in his seven-year career. "I think theres some level of consistency with my pitches," he said. "Im just repeating my delivery and I know where the balls going." Headed to his fourth All-Star game in a row, Kershaw seems a strong choice to start the Midsummer Classic on regular rest Tuesday night in Minnesota. Kershaw earned his 14th complete game in 196 career starts, helping the defending NL West champions increase their division lead to one game over San Francisco in the opener of a four-game series that will take them into the break. Vying for his fourth consecutive major league ERA title, Kershaw highlighted his astounding streak with a no-hitter June 18 against Colorado. He limited the Rockies to two hits over eight innings in the rematch last Friday at Coors Field. If Kershaw had enough innings to qualify for the ERA race, hed be second in the majors behind Adam Wainwrights 1.79 mark for St. Louis. During his streak, Kershaw allowed 17 hits, struck out 52 batters, walked six and stranded 23 runners -- four at third base. He also retired the leadoff hitter in 36 of those innings. The previous run against Kershaw came on an RBI double by Arizonas Aaron Hill in the third inning of Kershaws 4-3 win June 13 at Dodger Stadium. His next outing was the no-hitter. Odrisamer Despaigne (2-1) allowed two runs, seven hits and no walks over seven innings for the Padres. He struck out seven in his fourth big league start. The 27-year-old right-hander got his first chance to face Cuban countryman Yasiel Puig in the majors and held him to one hit in four at-bats -- a line-drive double that caromed off Despaignes left leg and into left field in the fourth. Scott Van Slyke hit a two-out single that drove in Puig from third. Adrian Gonzalez knocked in the go-ahead run with sacrifice fly in the sixth after Headley hit his seventh homer. The Padres, who have lost five of six following a season-best, five-game winning streak, got two runners as far as second base. NOTES: Hershiser pitched scoreless ball over the final six regular-season starts of his only Cy Young season. He broke the previous big league mark of 58 consecutive scoreless innings, set in 1968 by another former Dodger -- Hall of Famer Don Drysdale. ... The only pitchers since 1961 with longer scoreless streaks than Kershaw were Bob Gibson (47) and Webb. Drysdale, Gibson and Tiant all had their streaks in 1968, the so-called "Year of the Pitcher." Major League Baseball lowered the mound from 15 inches to 10 the following season. ... Kershaw waved a TV cameraman from the Dodgers flagship network, Time Warner Cable, away from the mound and off the diamond so he wouldnt encroach on his first-inning warmups. Time Warners contract with the club is estimated to be worth $7 billion over the next two decades. ... Hershiser was 30 when he had his streak, and Drysdale was 32. ... Kershaw is 9-1 with a 0.97 ERA in 10 starts since May 17, when he gave up seven runs over 1 2-3 innings in an 18-7 loss at Arizona. Cal Ripken Sr. Jersey . Granada defender Diego Mainz barged into the back of Villa to send the Spain striker to the ground inside the area and Costa stepped up to the spot to score his 12th league goal in the 38th minute. Costa showed no effects of the news that his Brazilian citizenship may be revoked after he elected to play for Spains national team, as the forward was a constant threat for Atletico and forced several saves from goalkeeper Roberto. Mike Cuellar Jersey . - Rookie Tesho Akindele scored three goals and Fabian Castillo added two in FC Dallas 5-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night. https://www.cheaporioles.com/818i-lee-may-jersey-orioles.html .Y. -- That hangover from the Big East tournament is gone for Villanova.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Danny Trevathan is grappling with a setback in his comeback.The Denver Broncos top tackler from last season reinjured his left leg Sunday in his second game back from a broken bone under his kneecap. He learned Monday hell miss several more weeks with another crack on the top and side of the same kneecap.Coach John Fox said this latest injury is nothing even remotely the same as his last injury.However, the timeline for his return might be similar.Although Fox declined to say how long he expected Trevathan to be out, his teammates mentioned six weeks when talking about the linebackers latest injury. Trevathan returned in the sixth week after his first knee injury, which occurred on Aug. 12.Trevathan was able to put weight on his left leg Monday. He walked haltingly through the locker room while holding — but not using — the same crutches he thought hed ditched for good last month.The Broncos weakside linebacker was hurt when he was run over by two New York Jets on a screen pass to Eric Decker on the second play from scrimmage in Denvers 31-17 win at the Meadowlands.Backup Brandon Marshall switched helmets with Trevathan so he could make the defensive calls, and rookie Corey Nelson slid into Marshalls role on sub packages and led the Broncos with seven tackles.Our defence, we never flinch, Marshall said. So I just came in and Im like, Lets go, man. We live for this. And thats what I was telling the guys, and we got it done.Marshall finished with six tackles, same as strongside linebacker Von Miller. Marshall said he leaned on the experience he gained from filling in for Trevathan the last time.It was an easier transition this time, Marshall said. The Colts game, the first time, I was a little nervous; Im not going to lie. But when I went back in this game, I think it was a little slower. The game wasnt fast. It slowed down for me, so that was good.It slowed down quickly for Nelson, too.Its kind of like just getting practice or repetition as a youngster. Youve got to get the game-time experiencce, said Nelson, a seventh-round pick from Oklahoma. Renato Nunez Jersey. And I felt like as the game went on, I was able to settle my feet and get more comfortable to be able to do what I had to do for the defence.Nelson, who played just two snaps on defence before Sunday, finished with 36 snaps from scrimmage and 26 on special teams.He knew what he was doing. He didnt blink, Marshall said. I guess the moment wasnt too big for him. Im happy for Corey. He did well. Hed been working his tail off. Hes going to be a good asset for us.Nelson did make one big blunder. He was late getting onto the field after a punt in the second half and the Broncos had to use a timeout.I guess he thought it was a different package, Marshall said. So, I had to call a timeout, because it was an empty set. They were going to pass the ball, and if he wasnt in there, it might have been a touchdown.Nelson said he went over to talk with special teams co-ordinator Jeff Rodgers and I just lost track of what personnel was out there. Thats on me. I take responsibility for that.It was a small blemish in a breakout performance for Nelson, who didnt even think hed get drafted after tearing his left pectoral midway through his senior season with the Sooners.Man, Corey was huge this game, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. He stepped up and played a great game. Nobody knew we were going to have to use him this much this year or in that game. But hes going to have to learn fast with Danny being out six weeks. Were going to need Corey to step up.Were going to need him to improve because its only going to get tougher. Were going to face better offences than that.NOTES: Coach John Fox disputed several of the Broncos 11 flags from Sunday. We turned in a lot of them to the league office, he said. I cant really talk about the specifics. But thats not absolving any blame for us, either.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '