NEW YORK -- Things could not have worked out any better for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday, despite having to deal with two rain delays.

Things also developed well for Justin Turner in the ninth inning.

Kershaw retired the first 12 hitters and pitched five strong innings while Turner was involved in both runs in the ninth as Los Angeles blanked the New York Yankees 2-0.

Kershaw needed 44 pitchers to pitch four perfect innings. He had the perfect game going despite sitting through a 12-minute rain delay.

Kershaw threw about 16 more pitches during a simulated inning once play was halted in the middle of the fifth. When play resumed, the left-hander threw 20 pitches in the fifth, when he also lost his perfect game.

"We were in constant contact with the grounds crew, constant contact with the training staff," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "Obviously, Clayton and we felt comfortable for him with that delay to go out there for the fifth, and I think individually for Clayton, I don't think it could have worked out any better under the circumstances."

The perfect game ended on the seventh pitch of the inning when Starlin Castro's one-hopper to third base deflected off the top of Turner's glove for an error. The no-hit bid ended two pitches later when Chase Headley singled to left.

The Yankees had runners on second and third following the hit and a sacrifice bunt by Didi Gregorius. Kershaw ended his outing with strikeouts of Rob Refsnyder and Austin Romine and walked off the mound showing some emotion.

"It was just an important at-bat," Kershaw said of fanning Romine. "It's 0-0 still, and I'm trying to keep our team in the game. I was throwing out of the stretch for the first time all game, and I was leaving a lot of stuff up early and I was able to finally throw a good slider."

The hit by Headley prevented Roberts having to make a tough decision for the second time on this trip, five days after pulling left-hander Rich Hill after seven perfect innings and 89 pitches.

"I think under the situation, the circumstances, I don't think there would have been an opportunity go much deeper," Roberts said.

Three relievers kept the game scoreless until the Dodgers could mount something in the ninth off Dellin Betances (3-5).

Corey Seager opened the inning with a one-hopper that went off second baseman Starlin Castro's glove for an error. Seager stole second on a 3-2 pitch to Turner, and two pitches later, the third baseman hit an RBI double down the left field line.

Turner slid head-first into second, and his head collided with the back of Castro's left leg. After getting looked at for a few minutes by Roberts and a trainer, Turner advanced to third on Adrian Gonzalez's fly ball to deep left field.

"It didn't look pretty," Roberts said. "I was excited for the hit. It just got kind of really funky, but he was adamant, he wanted to stay in the game."

Turner then scored the second run on an error by Betances. Yasmani Grandal hit a one-hopper to the first base side of the mound, and Betances' throw sailed over catcher Gary Sanchez's glove as Turner slid home.

"It just didn't feel good out of my hands," Betances said. "As soon as I grabbed it, it felt like I grabbed it on the tip of my hands. The throw kind of sailed on me, and I have to be better."

The sloppy ninth capped a 7-3 homestand for the Yankees, who open an 11-game road trip Thursday at Boston. The Yankees (77-68) are two games out in the wild-card race with 17 games remaining.

"Obviously Clayton was Clayton," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "We saw the good Clayton Kershaw, and his stuff was really good today. The unfortunate thing is we lost the game."

Dodgers reliever Luis Avilan (2-0) struck out pinch hitter Brian McCann to end the seventh with runners at first and second. He also struck out Jacoby Ellsbury to end the eighth after walking Brett Gardner.

Kenley Jansen fanned Gregorius as the potential tying run and notched his 44th save.

New York starter Michael Pineda did not return after the first delay. He allowed two hits in four scoreless innings while throwing 82 pitches.

NOTES: After the game, the Yankees placed RF Aaron Judge on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 2 right oblique strain. Judge had an MRI exam Wednesday. ... The Yankees recalled OF Mason Williams from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and manager Joe Girardi said he would put him in right field if needed. ... Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the rest of his rotation for this weekend's four-game series in Arizona. After LHP Rich Hill and RHP Kenta Maeda, RHPs Bud Norris and Jose De Leon will start the final two. ... The schedule for the 2017 season was released Wednesday. The Yankees open at Tampa Bay on April 2, face the Rays on April 10 in their home opener and oppose the NL Central in interleague play. The Dodgers open the season at home against the San Diego Padres on April 3 and face the AL Central in interleague play.