LOS ANGELES – Clayton Kershaw’s Luis Urias traveled 3-1 on a slider high, a rare mistake on the dignified left. It was the eighth inning, there was an out, the Dodgers were led by three, and Kershav’s pitch count was 88. He looked at the third base dugout, made eye contact with manager Dave Roberts and asked him where to stay. . Instead of Roberts sending pitching coach Mark before teaching, Kershaw saw Urias pick up and David Fritas struck out on five pitches to end his outing properly.
“It was a fun night,” Kershaw said moments later.
It was so much more than that.
He had eight scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, desperate to keep his season alive. It was 13 strikeouts by a man who hadn’t had swing-and-miss stuff for a long time 12 months ago. It was probably the best postseason start of Kershaw’s famous career, a satisfying sign for the Dodgers team preparing to win it all.
Roberts said the wild-card series eliminated the Brewers after a 3-0 win in Game 2 of Thursday night and pushed the Dodgers into a five-nation league division series.
ESPN According to statistics and data, Kershaw has made 24 swings and misses since June 2016, the most since then. All 13 strikeouts – a postseason career high – came in breaking balls, its highest by no-hitter in 2014 and the most by any watch in the postseason in the last 20 years.
By the first four innings, Kershaw matched Electric Brandon Woodruff’s pitch for the pitch, before D’Ders’ offense finally broke. After Woodruff folded, Kershaw began to feel stronger. All told, he allowed four basseners.
“It was just a Kershaw outing,” said Austin Barn, catcher for the Dodgers. “It was wonderful.”
Kersh’s previous post ason not out at Dager Gar Stadium was NLDS Game 5 against the Washington Citizens last year, which Kershaw gave to Anthony Randon and Juan Soto – a fastball ball and a slider that became inseparable from each other.
That night, Kershav was recklessly serious. He referred to the narrative about his postseason flaws and acknowledged its validity. But then he deliberately attacked his se fisson. By the time baseball resumed in July, Kershaw had begun to look back to life on his pitch. The fastball ball was consistently advancing 90 miles, and the slider had more shape.
He made 2.15 ERA and 59 strikeouts from his first nine starts, but then gave up eight hits in four innings against Los Angeles Angels at the end of the regular-season. His slider wasn’t sharp enough, so Kersha spent the following days speeding up his hand slot to get the right torque on the pitch. It worked. Adjustments were not always so simple.
Kershaw said, “I’ve been known to be very stubborn, do the same things that start a matter between, no matter what.” “I don’t think it might be the best idea.”
The Dodgers will face Friday’s Game 3 win between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Pedres, starting Tuesday at the Globe Life Field, in Arlington, Texas, one of the Major League Base fours, set for the remaining three rounds of the postseason. Los Angeles hopes to be there all the way to the World Series – World Series Kershaw can win its hometown.
“If you had told me that this is the first time I’ve ever pitched in Texas, it’s in the division series against someone who isn’t a Rangers – I mean that’s the craziest thing ever.” “I’m gone [Arlington] In a short time. I never really made the pitch there, so it would be weird. I live literally 10 minutes from the team hotel, and so I stare at friends and family through the glass wall. It’s a fantastic deal, but the good news is that it’s a fantastic deal for everyone. I think the bubble will be fun. “
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