Clayton Kershaw made his 200th career start at Dodger Stadium, but didn’t produce the results he would’ve liked in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Kershaw allowed four runs in just 4.1 innings and left the game in a 4-4 tie. However, the offense was able to score three runs in the seventh inning to secure the win and give the Dodgers their first four-game sweep of the Giants since 1995.
“We played great today, our whole team,” Kershaw said. “Bullpen did great, didn’t give up any runs at all for that whole time. Offense did unbelievable today, really the whole series. So just really a great team win by everybody except me.
“So it was really cool to see. Sweeping the Giants is not easy, let alone a four-game sweep. So for all the guys to play that well for the bullpen to pick me up and do as well as they did was really cool to see.”
Kershaw had to throw 47 pitches to get through the first two innings and left the game with a total of 94. On his final pitch, Darin Ruf hit a game-tying, two-run home run.
“I mean, it wasn’t going to be a long outing after the second (inning),” Kershaw said. “I was trying to do the best I could to get through five. I felt good about it and then obviously just two hits there at the end to kind of ruin the day.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believed the Giants were able to chase Kershaw from the game early because of their game plan against the future Hall of Famer and their ability to lay off his slider.
“You’ve got to give credit to those guys,” Roberts said. “They spoiled a lot of pitches, made him work and got a couple of big hits.”
Kershaw confident in Dodgers lineup
While no starting pitcher will be at their best each time out, Kershaw has been effective far more often than he’s struggled. However, on the days where he just doesn’t have it, Kershaw has added confidence knowing the offense can still pick him up to get the club a win.
“Yeah, our offense has been really impressive,” Kershaw said. “Really the last, honestly month probably. Got big contributions up and down the lineup. Obviously, we got our big four or five guys up at the front, but (Jake) Lamb’s swinging the bat, Trayce (Thompson), all the way down, it’s been really fun to watch.”
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