So much for a pitcher's duel.
What looked like an offensive struggle coming into the game between Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale was anything but. Instead, the Dodgers rallied from a 5-1 deficit, then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth to get the win over the White Sox, 7-6.
Kershaw knew he'd be in for a long night in the first. After striking out Alejandro De Aza leading off, Gordon Beckham hit a soft single to center. On an 0-2 count, Adam Dunn launched a two-run homer to right, and the Dodgers were immediately behind.
The Dodgers used their speed at the top of the order to get one back right away. Dee Gordon did the unthinkable... he took a walk leading off. Elian Herrera then stroked an RBI double to make it 1-0. He was in scoring position with no outs, but could only get to third.
Unfortunately for Kershaw, he never seemed to get into any sort of rhythm. He gave up single runs in innings 3-5. In the third, Dunn walked with two outs and went to second on a wild pitch. Old Dodger Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 3-1.
Aramis Ramirez hit an infield single to start the fourth, though Gordon didn't exactly make a good play on it. Speaking of Gordon, his wild throw to Juan Rivera at first on Orlando Hudson's grounder brought home Ramirez, and it was 4-1. A solo homer by Alex Rios the following inning put the score at 5-1.
Sale was sure looking like he would cruise to a victory, especially with Kershaw struggling and the Dodgers leaving all sorts of men on base. But these are the 2012 Dodgers, where this is no quit. That was never more evident than in the sixth, where they not only came back, but took a lead.
Like a lot of big innings, it all started on a walk to Jerry Hairston, Jr. A single by A.J. Ellis came next, which then led to an RBI double by Juan Uribe to make it 5-2. With one out, Ivan De Jesus hit for Kershaw and came through with an RBI single, and it was now 5-3.
Gordon tried to bunt his way on, but Konerko deflected the ball to Beckham, who barehanded it for a great catch. That was it for Sale, who gave way to Jesse Crain to get the final out. Herrera, though, had other plans, as his two-run double tied the game at five. Rivera went opposite field for an RBI single, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
Todd Coffey, Scott Elbert, and Ronald Belisario teamed up to get through the seventh with an out apiece. Belisario stayed on to pitch the eighth, but Rios greeted him with his second homer of the night, a long blast to left, and it was once again a new game at 6-6.
Matt Thorton came in to keep the score as is for the Sox, but the Dodgers had one more rally left in them. James Loney came in on a double switch in the seventh, and he singled with an out. Gordon walked to put two on. Herrera's groundout put Loney on third with two down. With Bobby Abreu pinch-hitting, a wild pitch easily brought home Loney to go up 7-6.
Kenley Jansen was giving a chance for his 11th save, and he set the Sox down in order, striking out Beckham to end the game.
It's a good thing the Dodgers had their big run in the sixth, because if it came later, most of the fans would've been heading home. OK, so maybe that's a bit harsh, but it's easy to see how this was an improbable victory after being down 5-1 against a really good pitcher.
But, like I said before, the Dodgers just have no quit in them. They didn't even hit a homer, or even one that came close, as opposed to the Sox and their three blasts. Instead, it became a single here, a walk there, an extra base taken here, a stolen base there. Without Matt Kemp, that's been the formula for success. And that's a big reason why they're 17 games over .500, and it's not even July yet. Amazing.
By the end of the night, Kershaw's start was somewhat forgotten, which I'm sure is fine with him. He lasted six innings for eight hits, five runs (four earned), two walks, and seven strikeouts. Again, the long ball was a problem, as he surrendered two more. Despite the seven K's, his location just wasn't there, and even had a hard time putting hitters away with two strikes. Thankfully his offense bailed him out of a loss.
I wouldn't say I'm worried about Kershaw, as you can't expect a shutout every time he's on the mound, no matter how good he is. But the homers are a concern, as the season isn't even halfway over, and he's already hit double-digits. From 2008-2011, he allowed the following: 11, 7, 13, 15. So, he's obviously on pace to exceed that. As he's said in the past, he just has to find a way to make sure his mistakes aren't hit over the fence.
After dropping two of three in the Freeway Series, a series win over an American League team would be sweet. Chad Billingsley will look to get over .500 by going on Saturday. He'll be up against Philip Humber, who has gone from perfect game to clinging onto his rotation spot.
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