Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Let’s make sure we’re clear about this. Clayton Kershaw did not make his first great postseason start tonight. Not even close.
Just to remind you, there was the three-game stretch in the 2013 playoffs, when he pitched 19 innings, struck out 23 and allowed one earned run.
That’s in addition to the six quality innings he threw twice in the 2014 National League Division Series and once in the 2015 NLDS — yes, before seventh innings to forget.
But for those who haven’t seen past Kershaw’s postseason won-loss record, his seven innings in Tuesday’s 3-1 NLDS Game 4 victory are the much-awaited spectacles.
Other than a Daniel Murphy home run, Kershaw shut down the Mets on three singles and one walk, while striking out eight — including six outs in a row at one point by strikeout.
“To me, his game’s a lot like the other ones he’s pitched,” Don Mattingly said. “He’s pitched really good, just tonight he got the last out.”
Even for those who don’t buy into curses, it was a gut punch to see Yoenis Cespedes start the bottom of the seventh inning with a single that would barely have run the length of a pool table.
“He really gutted his way through, after a tough way to start with the Cespedes dribbler,” said catcher A.J. Ellis, who extended his Dodger-record postseason hitting streak to 12 games tonight. “The seventh inning’s kind of haunted him these postseason outings. Today he was really able to dig deep and show the pitcher he really is.”
Said Mattingly: “Cespedes hits that chopper to lead off the inning and it’s like, ‘Oh, here we go,’ (but) he was able to stop that.”
As it turned out, Kershaw needed only eight pitches to complete the seventh inning, leaving him at 94 for the game. But there was no thought given to extending him.
“We had guys ready in the seventh,” Mattingly said. “Him going on short rest, he was throwing the ball good. The ball was still coming out of his hand good, but at that point we knew that was going to be it for him.
Said Ellis: “I think we both kind of talked about it after he finished the (inning). You could see signs of fatigue starting to set in there in the seventh.”
More than answering any postseason questions, Kershaw has begun to establish himself as a definitive stalwart on three days’ rest. In three playoff starts under those conditions, Kershaw has allowed four earned runs in 19 innings, for a 1.89 ERA with 23 strikeouts.
Fatigue was not a worry when Kershaw took the mound.
“He warmed up extremely well,” Ellis said. “He had a good energy about him, and he came out and really delivered out there on the mound for us, really gutting his way through, especially through that last inning.”
Kershaw threw 55 fastballs, nearly all clocked in the 94-96 mph range.
Updating previous post… on just 3 days' rest, Kershaw's fastball averaged 94.5 mph tonight — his highest in a game all year. #Dodgers
— Inside Edge (@InsideEdgeScout) October 14, 2015
“Yeah, it really wasn’t by design,” Kershaw said, “but I think I probably did end up throwing more fastballs tonight — less sliders. Probably give A.J. credit on that. He felt confident throwing the heater tonight with a lot of guys and (we were) able to get some outs behind in the count on it, which was great. Able to get some jam shots and some pop-ups, which was big. But throwing fastballs will either get you in trouble or keep your pitch count down. So fortunately for me tonight it kind of kept it down a little bit.”
Reporters questioned Kershaw and Mattingly about when he might pitch next — perhaps in relief in Thursday’s Game 5, perhaps on short rest again if the Dodgers advance to the NLCS on Saturday. Mattingly deflected those questions to focus on what Kershaw accomplished.
“You know, I’m actually really happy for him,” Mattingly said. “I mean, this kid is tremendous. Everything that you’re supposed to be, he is, and I think to see him be able to do that tonight on short rest is a really good feeling for I know myself, but I think a lot of those guys in that clubhouse feel the same way. This guy’s an animal, the way he works, represents us, the game of baseball, himself. I mean, he’s really a credit to the game, and so you’re really happy for him to be able to do that tonight.”
Michael Green
What Jon said is, of course, absolutely correct. I confess, I was to the point that I was willing to see the Dodgers lose 1-0 if it meant that the rest of the world would cut out the garbage about Kershaw in the playoffs. But he left all of those doubters behind him tonight.
Jon Weisman
Losing 1-0 would have done no such thing.
Don Bright
I bet there’s still people who think he should have gone further at only 94 pitches. frankly I was surprised he hit in the 7th. Unfortunately it means DM only is trusting Hatcher and Jansen in the pen.