Errors Hurt Clayton Kershaw And Dodgers As Marlins Snap Losing Streak
Kendrick and Turner hit back-to-back singles in the fourth that put runners on the corners with no outs. Kendrick then scored on a Gonzalez sinking liner that Yelich appeared to lose in the lights and could only trap. With the Dodgers still threatening, the Marlins defense helped their pitcher out.
Dee Gordon made a leaping catch to rob Ethier of a base hit and potential RBI, then Hechavarria made a nice backhanded stop and toss to start a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. Kershaw kept some of the momentum in the Dodgers’ favor by striking out the side in the bottom of the fourth to keep the Marlins lead at 3-2.
Rollins lined a one-out single to center in the fifth and reached second with two outs on Kershaw’s slow chopper to third. The veteran shortstop was then stranded as Pederson grounded out and remained hitless on the day to that point.
Kershaw struck out Ichiro Suzuki to start the bottom of the fifth, then retired the next two batters for a third consecutive scoreless inning. With the Dodgers outfield playing shallow, Gordon slapped a leadoff double over Kiké Hernandez’s head in the bottom of the sixth.
To his credit, Hernandez got to the ball quickly and threw a laser to third, holding Gordon to only a double. It wound up being a key play as Yelich’s base hit only left runners on the corners with no outs as opposed to easily scoring Gordon. Kershaw then battled back to strikeout the side.
Grandal’s reached with one out in the seventh on a chopper hit off Miguel Rojas’ glove. Yasiel Puig pinch-hit for Hernandez and was thrown out on a nice play by Rojas. Rollins flied out and the Dodgers continued to trail 3-2.
Puig remained in the game and took over in right field, which moved Ethier to left. Kershaw worked around a Realmuto leadoff single to put another scoreless inning in the books. Alberto Callaspo pinch-hit for Kershaw to leadoff the eighth and struck out on three pitches against Carter Capps, who jumps forward as part of his unorthodox delivery.
Pederson went down looking and Kendrick grounded to short to end the inning. J.P. Howell allowed a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth before his relief appearance came to an end. Yimi Garcia entered and struck out the two batters he faced to end the inning without allowing the Marlins to add to their lead.
A.J. Ramos took over in the ninth for the Marlins and retired the heart of the Dodgers’ order to earn the save in a 3-2 win. The victory snapped the Marlins’ five-game losing streak and handed Kershaw a third consecutive loss for the first time in his career.
[divide]Clayton Kershaw Is Aware Of What He Needs To Improve On
