Clayton Kershaw retired just one of eight batters faced before being removed in the first inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 11-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers’ only runs came in the eighth inning when Will Smith tripled home Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman while trailing by 11 runs.
The start was Kershaw’s shortest of his career, whether in the regular season or playoffs. He exited with the Dodgers trailing 6-0.
James Outman, among five rookies on the Dodgers postseason roster, showed some of his youth one batter in as he failed to make a catch on Ketel Marte’s line drive to left-center field. Although Outman was in position for a catch, and had the ball pop out of his glove, Marte was credited with a leadoff double.
Corbin Carroll followed with an RBI single, Tommy Pham reached on a base hit and Christian Walker added to his career success against Kershaw by pulling a run-scoring double to left field. Gabriel Moreno broke the game open with a three-run home run.
Kershaw then got his first — and only — out, only to see a walk lead to an Evan Longoria RBI double that chased him from the game.
Emmet Sheehan, who expected to factor into the night as a piggyback for Kershaw anyway, pitched 3.2 innings and allowed three runs.
Shelby Miller contributed two scoreless innings, and Michael Grove and Alex Vesia also played a part in the Dodgers bullpen not being overworked despite the disastrous beginning to the game.
Merrill Kelly, who entered 0-11 with a 5.49 ERA in his career against the Dodgers, turned in 6.1 scoreless innings.
“It’s a bit of a mystery, a bit of a puzzle for me to solve, which going into the playoff game against them I’m looking forward to trying to solve in this game,” Kelly said on Friday.
“It would be nice to get my first Dodger win in five years in the playoffs. In my mind I’m well overdue for one.”
He limited the Dodgers to just three hits and finished with five strikeouts against two walks.
What’s next for Dodgers?
A quirk in the NLDS schedule calls for an off day before the teams return to Dodger Stadium for Game 2 on Monday.
The Dodgers are turning to Bobby Miller for his postseason debut, while the Diamondbacks call on Zac Gallen.
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