Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw treated about 600 Santa Clarita Valley Dodgers fans to a 1-0 shutout over the visiting San Diego Padres Sunday afternoon after the 39th annual Santa Clarita Dodger Day pre-game festivities at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers had lost six straight games, including three to the Padres, and were in danger of the Padres sweeping all four games in the weekend homestand.

But Kershaw went the distance, striking out 14 Padres batters and giving up only three hits, bringing his record to three wins and a loss so far this season.

Santa Clarita Dodger Day officials John Daly, Holly Michaels, Sean Tuber and Rich Carr join First Pitchers Alice and Tom Renolds. Photo: Stephen K. Peeples.

In the pre-game ceremonies saluting Santa Clarita on the field, Dodgers P.A. announcer Todd Leitz introduced Rich Carr, Holly Michaels and Sean Tuber from the city of Santa Clarita’s Recreation Division, John Daly representing Santa Clarita Youth Baseball, and local anti-drunk driving activists and Blue Ribbon Task Force volunteers Tom and Alice Renolds. Alice threw out the first ceremonial pitch, with Tom playing catcher.

‘Kids Take the Field’ on Santa Clarita Dodger Day 2016. Photo: Stephen K. Peeples.

“We sold nearly 600 tickets this year, and that’s going to raise about $2,100 for local schools and nonprofit organizations,” said Carr, who has coordinated Dodger Day activities for the city the past three years.

“Hart Baseball and Softball is out here, and so is Santa Clarita Youth Baseball,” Carr said. “And there are about 20 local schools and nonprofit organizations participating in the parade (around the stadium’s warning track) this year.”

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Carr noted that Santa Clarita Dodger Day is the Dodgers’ longest-running community salute.

“That’s something to be proud of, that we’re able to support our local Major League Baseball team – and we’re able to come out and have a great day at the ballpark, where kids can come out and (take) part in the parade prior to the game,” Carr said.

Alice and Tom Renolds throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Santa Clarita Dodger Day 2016. Photo: Stephen K. Peeples.

“Two of our local kids — Elias Willis representing Wm. S. Hart Baseball and Luke Daly standing up for Santa Clarita Youth Baseball — are going to be taking the field for ‘Kids Take the Field,’ so they’ll get to go out and meet a couple of the players,” he said. “he memories created here are just incredible and it’s something that especially the kids will never forget.”

Referring to Tom and Alice Renolds, “We’re very honored to provide them with the opportunity to throw the first pitch of the day,” Carr said.

The couple lost two sons to reckless driving more than a decade and a half ago, and since then were instrumental in creating the Youth Grove in Central Park.

The Renoldses have advised teens referred by the city’s Traffic Court Program about safe driving practices, and they speak regularly at the “Every 15 Minutes” events at Santa Clarita Valley high schools. They are also frequent speakers for the VIDA (Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives) meetings for local at-risk youth.

Alice and Tom Renolds at Santa Clarita Dodger Day 2016. Photo: Stephen K. Peeples.

“It is such an honor that the city chose us to be here to represent the Santa Clarita Valley,” Alice said. “We’ve worked for the last 16 years after our sons were killed to spread the message to the Santa Clarita Valley to drive safe. It’s just been an honor to be here just to send that message and to continue that message. After our sons died I needed a reason to go on, and that reason was to save another child and to save the parents going through that.”

“We hope the loss of our two sons will help spread the message to the youth as well as the adults of the valley that driving safe is the No. 1 concern to not only us, but it should also be a concern to every parent who has a young teen who is getting ready to drive or is driving now,” Tom said. “At the Santa Clarita Youth Grove we started with 62 names, I believe. We’re up to 93 who have lost their lives, ages six, seven and up to 24 and a little past that.”

The author speaks with U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Contreras, the member of the military honored at Santa Clarita Dodger Day 2016. Photo: Steven Brentnall.

Many of the young people who died were innocent victims, Tom said. “Some of them drank alcohol, but the majority of them were just not paying attention. They were distracted. Some of them were innocent – the six-year-old with her family, going on a family outing. A drunk driver took them out. It happens that quick. We hope to spread that message to the city.”

The Dodgers also salute a member of the U.S. military at each game, and Sunday, the honoree was U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Contreras, who’s stationed at the Camp Pendleton Marines base.

“It’s time for Dodgers baseball!” said 107-year-old Dodgers fan Irving Pickering and his family. Photo: Stephen K. Peeples.

“My girlfriend submitted me to the military programs they have here,” said Contreras, in his fifth year of military service. “It means a lot. It shows that the Dodgers organization supports the military, the troops and everything we’re doing out there, supporting the freedom that we’re giving everybody back at home.”

One of the oldest — if not the oldest — Dodger fans, 107-year-old Irving Pickering, joined members of his family in front of home plate to invoke the official game opening statement: “It’s time for Dodgers baseball!”

The Dodgers and local officials created Santa Clarita Dodger Day in 1978. The city of Santa Clarita has coordinated the event since it incorporated in 1987. Longtime co-sponsors include the Hart Baseball and Softball program and KHTS AM-1220, the Dodgers’ exclusive radio broadcast affiliate in the Santa Clarita Valley.