There was plenty to see on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, as a pregame ceremony in honor of Jackie Robinson Day was followed by a matchup that featured two of the games best pitchers in Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw.
Friday’s contest was the fifth meeting between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the last nine days. However, Kiké Hernandez threw a wrench into the expected pitcher’s duel by the third inning.
Hernandez began his career night by driving Bumgarner’s first offering halfway up the pavilion in center field for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. Then in the third, the Dodgers’ utility man crushed a 2-0 pitch to left field for his second solo home run of the night.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Hernandez pulled Bumgarner’s first pitch inside the third base line for a two-run double. Giants manager Bruce Bochy lifted Bumgarner in the bottom of the sixth rather than let him face Hernandez with two on and no outs.
Hernandez went 3-for-3 with one double, two home runs and four RBIs against the Giants’ ace. He’s now a career 10-for-16 off Bumgarner, with four doubles, three home runs and five RBIs
Hernandez, however, doesn’t have an explanation for his success against one of the game’s better pitchers. “Straight coincidence, there’s no secret,” he said. “I’ve gotten lucky.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who said Herandnez’s leadoff home run was a “Rickey rally,” expanded on the matchup that’s gone heavily in his club’s favor.
“Kiké has always hit velocity and he likes the ball close to him,” Roberts said. “Madison challenges guys and if you get the bat head out there, good things happen.” Hernandez did allow hitting Bumgarner well comes with a sense of satisfaction.
“It’s pretty cool since he’s one of the best in the game. It kind of makes you focus a little more,” Hernandez said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just two homers. I hit two homers and we won. If I had two homers and we didn’t win, it would’ve been for nothing. The fact that we won is what matters.”
Over 134 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, Hernandez is a career .395/.455/.689 batter with 13 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 20 RBIs, a .482 wOBA and 213 wRC+. “Kiké has hit lefties really well since he’s been up here,” Kershaw said. “He hits it hard. Really hard.”
