The Los Angeles Dodgers’ recent struggles continued as they were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday as Clayton Kershaw endured a frustrating start.
The left-hander was working on a shutout when things began to unravel due to multiple defensive miscues. With a runner on third base and two outs in the fourth inning, Tommy Edman made a throwing error that allowed Andrew Vaughn to score.
Andruw Monasterio followed that with an RBI infield single and the Brewers tied the game on Andy Pages’ error when he inexplicably had a line drive skip off his glove.
Kershaw returned to the mound in the fifth and again was let down by his defense when Esteury Ruiz booted a base hit that gifted the Brewers an extra base and put runners on the corners with one out.
That marked the end of Kershaw’s day, and he threw his cap and glove against the bench upon arriving in the dugout.
“Oh, no. I was just frustrated myself,” the 37-year-old explained when asked if that burst of emotions was related to the Dodgers committing three errors. “We scored three runs and I gave up a walk. It’s just frustrating.”
Kershaw’s final line was 4.1 innings pitched, five hits, three runs (one earned), one walk and two strikeouts. The outing snapped a streak of three consecutive starts in which Kershaw logged at least six innings.
“I thought I pitched OK, just made some mistakes, and I was just frustrated,” Kershaw said. “It happens. We’re not playing well as a team, and I wanted to help win the game today, didn’t do enough to do it, so that’s frustrating.”
The Dodgers have now dropped 10 of their last 12 games since July 4, including six to the Brewers, who swept the season series. “I don’t make anything of it,” Kershaw said moments before walking away from reporters.
“They beat us. We need to play better tomorrow. I don’t have much to say. I’m going to get myself in trouble. So let’s just call it. Thanks, alright.”
Dave Roberts praises Clayton Kershaw
Although Kershaw didn’t have the start he hoped for, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was happy to see some fire out of the 11-time All-Star after the game.
“It’s great. It’s great,” Roberts said of Kershaw’s desire to win. “I mean, yeah, he wasn’t happy with how things played out. And I thought how the first three innings were going and how that fourth inning was going, I felt where the pitch count was at, he could have easily got through the fifth inning.
“And things change when you give up bases and base runners, and things like that. So I think all of it was frustrating for him, knowing that he wanted to get through at least five innings or beyond. We’ve got to support him too, and he was upset.”
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