The Dodgers Clayton Kershaw is considered by many in MLB as the best pitcher in the game today. But the Los Angeles Dodgers ace took the loss in game one of the NLDS against last year’s rookie of the year and up-and-coming ace Jacob deGrom. The loss for Kershaw extends his losing streak in the post-season to five games and a 1-6 record overall.
“I got out pitched, basically that’s the moral of the story,” Kershaw told reporters of his loss versus’ Mets ace, Jacob deGrom. “Jacob pitched an amazing game. We battled him, got his pitch count up there, but he out-pitched me, plain and simple.”
In the game, Kershaw struck out 11 hitters and allowed only three hits in 6 2/3 innings of work, but Mets second baseman, Daniel Murphy, gave the Mets an early lead with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth inning. Then in the top of the seventh, the Mets captain and third baseman, David Wright, hit a two-run single to extend the Mets lead at the time to 3-0, which ended up being enough to capture the win in game one.
“Lefties had a good approach,” Kershaw said. “I felt a little more comfortable against righties tonight. I don’t face that many lefties usually. Basically, tip your cap to them, that’s the best thing to do. “
In last year’s NLDS opener at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly waited one batter too many before reluctantly pulling his ace and N.L. MVP Clayton Kershaw, who had just given up a go-ahead three-run double to the St. Louis Cardinals Matt Carpenter in the seventh inning of that game in which the Cardinals went on to win.
Therefore on Friday night, when Kershaw walked Lucas Duda on just five pitches to open the seventh and followed that up by allowing free bases to two of the next four batters, Ruben Tejada and Curtis Granderson, Mattingly had no choice but to go to the bullpen.
With the Mets up 1-0, Mattingly brought in right-handed reliever, Pedro Baez, to face Mets captain David Wright, who came through with a clutch two-run single that ended up being the difference in the Mets 3-1 victory last night.
Mattingly explained his decision to remove Kershaw, noting that Kershaw had thrown 25 pitches in the seventh inning to bring his pitch count up to 113 and, had Mattingly allowed Kershaw to remain in the game, he would’ve had to face David Wright who had hit .351 against left-handers in the regular season.
“We felt David’s numbers against lefties were really good,” Mattingly said. And Kershaw added, “was just out of sync a little bit.”
The Dodgers and Mets go at it again tonight in game two of the NLDS with the first pitch scheduled at 9:07 p.m. The Mets will send another potential ace to the mound in Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24) who will face-off with the Dodgers Cy Young candidate Zach Greinke (19-3, 1.66).
