LOS ANGELES — He jogged briefly before slowing down and then strolled to the mound. It seemed like any other afternoon that could be found among his 17 years of baseball.
This one, though, was slightly different for Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ future Hall of Fame pitcher. Never had the right-hander missed the first 103 games of a season, had surgery on his shoulder, been the subject of a social media hashtag (#KershawDay) or worn cleats designed by his children.
So, it was understandable if his emotions in taking the mound for the first time this season ran higher than normal before Thursday’s matinee game at Dodger Stadium.
“This is a big day for us,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “Clayton has had a long road and I’m happy to finally get to the finish line.”
The 36-year-old left-hander worked four innings in a 6-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants that was capped by back-to-back home runs by Nick Ahmed and Shohei Otani in the eighth inning.
Kershaw allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in an uneven outing. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner received a rousing ovation from the less-than-full afternoon crowd to begin his day then exited the series finale with the Dodgers leading 3-2.
Roberts had hoped to get Kershaw through five innings but said before the game that he would be content with four or even three innings if the star pitcher came out of it healthy enough to make his next scheduled outing. He threw 72 pitches (47 strikes).
“The main thing is to get him feeling good after the outing.” Roberts said.
“If everything lines up and he gets through five, great. But if it’s not five, that’s fine too. I just don’t want to put any expectations on Clayton.”
Kershaw retired the first two batters of the game, then allowed a double to Heliot Ramos and walked Matt Chapman. He struck out Patrick Bailey to end a scoreless inning. He allowed a single to Mike Yastrzemski in a scoreless second.
By the third inning, the early excitement had been tempered. Kershaw struggled to find a groove, enabling the Giants to take a 2-1 lead.
Kershaw ran into trouble in the third, allowing four consecutive hits, including a run-scoring triple by Tyler Fitzgerald that caromed off the left field wall, eventually tracked down by Teoscar Hernandez. Heliot Ramos knocked in the go-ahead run with an infield single before Kershaw regained his command and struck out Patrick Bailey, David Villar and Thairo Estrada to end the inning. Kershaw used a 73-mph curveball and an 88-mph slider to get the final two outs of the frame.
After throwing another scoreless inning – a pair of pop-ups sandwiched around a walk before he struck out Yastrzemski – Kershaw was done for the day with the Dodgers trailing by one run.
The Dodgers regained the lead in the fourth.
Kiké Hernandez (3 for 4) tied the score with a sharp line drive double to right, scoring Gavin Lux (2 for 3), who opener the inning with a double, tying the game at 2.
After Jason Heyward struck out, catcher Austin Barnes’ grounder to left was deflected off Matt Chapman’s glove, enabling Hernandez to score from second for a 3-2 lead. Barnes is riding a team-high 11-game hitting streak.
The Dodgers added another run for a 4-2 lead in the fifth but it didn’t hold up.
The Giants scored twice to tie the score in the eighth inning, but the Dodgers avoided extra innings with two home runs in the bottom of the inning, putting a positive ending on “Kershaw Day.”
Kershaw had major shoulder surgery in November and spent the last several months rehabbing. He allowed four runs in 10 innings in three minor-league rehab starts, giving him a soft foundation to begin his comeback.
“Over the last few years, he has realized that he is more vulnerable and there’s an appreciation of every moment,” Roberts said.
More to come on this story.