Even now, Clayton Kershaw.
In spite of everything these years, Clayton Kershaw.
When the Dodgers are reeling and roiling and shedding their grip on a protracted scorching summer time, who’s the one participant who can cease the autumn and calm the nerves and, oh yeah, kick some San Diego Padre butt?
Nonetheless, nonetheless, nonetheless, Clayton Kershaw.
He’s 37 with a battered 18-season physique and a fastball the pace of a Zamboni and but there he was Friday evening, carrying a whole anxious Dodger nation on his weary shoulders into the opener of a three-game sequence towards the cocky rivals who had simply stolen first place.
Remaining rating: Dodgers 3, Padres 2
Remaining line: Six innings, two hits, one run.
Remaining verdict: He’s nonetheless All That.
“We had the right guy on the mound tonight, I think we all know that,” mentioned supervisor Dave Roberts, smiling for what appeared like the primary time in per week. “What he did for us tonight, not only just the compete, but the stuff … getting us through six innings was huge, setting us up for the rest of the series … Clayton set the tone … big, big outing by him.”
It was a blast from the previous, solely it’s been taking place within the current, Kershaw behaving just like the workers’s second-best starter, bettering his file to 7-2 whereas reducing his ERA to three.01 and, as loopy as this as soon as sounded, making an early case for inclusion within the postseason rotation.
“It was a good night,” Kershaw mentioned.
Understated as ordinary. For all this recreation meant, it was an ideal evening.
Since July 4 the Dodgers had been worse than even the Colorado Rockies, with a 12-21 file whereas shedding 10 video games within the standings to the Padres in a span of 40 days, surrendering first place simply two days in the past, and set to play the Padres six instances within the subsequent two weeks.
They desperately wanted any person to cease the bleeding. And earlier than the sport, Roberts claimed that Kershaw was “the perfect guy” to do it.
Excellent prediction. Nearly good efficiency.
There was Kershaw, spinning and steering and browsing the ball previous the Padre bats with obvious ease, his solely mistake a dangling curve that Ramón Laureano hit 400 ft.
There was Kershaw, deftly making performs from the mound, demonstrably pleading for each shut strike name, proudly stalking from the mound right into a dugout full of hugs and high-fives.
And there was Kershaw, after his maligned bullpen danced via hazard and barely survived, admitting that possibly this recreation meant slightly extra.
“When you play everyday, things can spiral pretty quick,” he mentioned. “So maybe just coming home, having an off day to reset, and playing good games … it just takes one to get going. Hopefully this was it tonight for us.”
Earlier than the sport, Roberts acknowledged that the Dodgers simply play more durable, and with extra urgency, when Kershaw is pitching.
“He had a way of elevating people’s focus and play,” Roberts mentioned.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw turns to stroll again to the dugout after the Dodgers accomplished a double play towards the Padres within the sixth inning Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
Certain sufficient, a group that had seemingly forgotten to do the little issues did each little factor, from nice defensive performs on the corners from Alex Freeland and Freddie Freeman to the eighth-inning sweeper from Blake Treinen that fooled Manny Machado into stranding two runners with a popout.
This can be a group that devoutly follows Kershaw … once they’re not sitting again and admiring him.
“He’s built for these big moments,” mentioned Teoscar Hernández, whose seventh inning homer ultimately proved to be the distinction. “He is a legend.”
Kershaw was at his greatest when the Dodgers’ greatest was wanted, and in doing so he introduced sanity again to the Nationwide League West and old style hardball again to a sequence that had turn into low cost and unseemly.
In these two groups’ seven earlier conferences this season, the Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit thrice, Shohei Ohtani was hit twice, and Roberts and Padres supervisor Mike Shildt engaged in a short shoving and shouting match.
The stage was set for extra unhealthy blood, however Kershaw, who entered with a profession 23-11 file and a couple of.19 ERA towards the Padres, shortly put an finish to that. He retired the Padres on a three-up-three-down first inning and effectively dominated them from there.
“It’s a game in August, obviously, it’s not that huge a deal,” Kershaw mentioned. “But the way we were going, it felt like a big game for us and, thankful that we got a win.”
The one attainable controversy emerged when Kershaw was faraway from the sport after simply 76 pitches, stunning followers who didn’t have time to present him the correct standing ovation whereas leaving the sport within the shaky fingers of the bullpen.
Get used to it. The Dodgers are neatly going to guard the midseason Kershaw in hopes of maximizing the October Kershaw.
“I just think we’ve got to take care of him,” Roberts mentioned. “For Clayton to give us six strong innings of one-run baseball, he did his job, there was no reason to push him more.”
Earlier than the sport, Roberts was requested if his struggling group held a players-only assembly. He mentioned that, no, the clear outcomes of the following week can be the equal of any assembly.
“I don’t like to be embarrassed, I don’t think our players do, so this series I’m expecting high intensity and high performance,” Roberts mentioned. “I think in itself, the schedule over the next week, will suffice in lieu of a meeting.”
In an opener that pulled the 2 groups right into a first-place tie, the early outcomes had been clear.
Excessive depth? Verify.
Excessive efficiency? Verify.
Clayton Kershaw? Nonetheless.
