Los Angeles ace lefty Clayton Kershaw mastered the Brewers in a 5-1 win Thursday afternoon as the Dodgers salvaged the finale of a four-game series at Miller Park.

The loss cut the Brewers’ lead over the idle Cardinals to 6 1/2 games in the NL Central.

Kershaw (15-5) won for the ninth time in his last 11 starts and tied Ian Kennedy and Roy Halladay for the NL lead in victories. He allowed no runs on five hits over eight innings, throwing 73 strikes out of 104 pitches and lowering his ERA to 2.60.

Rod Barajas’ line-drive homer off Marco Estrada (3-8) staked Los Angeles to a 1-0 lead in the second. Barajas also doubled in the seventh and scored on Jamey Carroll’s ground ball up the middle.

Milwaukee saw its six-game win streak snapped, losing for just the third time in 22 games.