(SportsNetwork.com) – Clayton Kershaw hopes for a better effort on Saturday
than he put forth on Opening Day when the Los Angeles Dodgers continue a
three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The National League’s reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winner was not
particularly sharp on Monday against the San Diego Padres, as he allowed three
runs and six hits in six innings and was unable to hold a lead. He also struck
out nine and walked a pair, but did not factor in the decision of his team’s
6-3 win.
“That was a sigh of relief for me. They gave me a lead and I wasn’t able to
hold it,” Kershaw said of Jimmy Rollins’ go-ahead home run that gave the
Dodgers the win.
Kershaw has faced the D-backs 21 times and is 10-7 against them with a 2.45
ERA.
Arizona, meanwhile, will turn to promising right-hander Archie Bradley, who
will be making his major league debut. Bradley, the team’s top pitching
prospect and No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, pitched to a 1.61 ERA in six
appearances this spring and was so impressive that the team traded Trevor
Cahill to make room in the rotation for him.
He went 3-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 83 innings across two levels in the minors last
season.
Arizona drew first blood on Friday when Ender Inciarte’s RBI single in the
10th inning lifted the Diamondbacks past Los Angeles, 4-3
Inciarte finished 2-of-5 with one run scored, while Paul Goldschmidt powered
the Diamondbacks’ offense by going 3-of-4 at the plate, including his first
home run of the season.
Chase Anderson received a no-decision after surrendering three earned runs and
five hits while striking out six over five innings of work. Oliver Perez (1-0)
recorded his first win of the campaign after holding the Dodgers scoreless in
the top of the 10th inning.
Yasmani Grandal homered for the Dodgers, while Jimmy Rollins went 1-for-5 with
two RBI.
Cliff Pennington put himself on base with a pinch-hit walk, advanced to second
on a wild pitch and then stole third base to set up Inciarte’s heroics.
“That hurt us,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Pennington’s steal.
J.P. Howell (0-1) was tagged with the loss after he recorded just one out on
four batters in extra innings. Brett Anderson pitched well en route to a no-
decision, registering a quality start with five hits and three runs allowed
over six innings.
The Dodgers won 15 of 19 games with the D-backs last season, including the
last five.
