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Daily Clips April 21, 2018

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Page 1: Daily Clipsatlanta.braves.mlb.com/documents/1/0/4/270152104/Dodgers_Daily_… · Kershaw and Max Scherzer. But after getting outpitched by the Nationals' ace on Friday night at Dodger

Daily Clips

April 21, 2018

Page 2: Daily Clipsatlanta.braves.mlb.com/documents/1/0/4/270152104/Dodgers_Daily_… · Kershaw and Max Scherzer. But after getting outpitched by the Nationals' ace on Friday night at Dodger

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018 MLB.COM Buehler? Dodgers need a replacement for Hill - Ken Gurnick Kershaw drops duel with Nats' Scherzer - Ken Gurnick Matt Kemp is in the best shape of his life (he really is) - Mike Petriello LA TIMES Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner takes swings off tee - Andy McCullough Clayton Kershaw outlasts Max Scherzer, but Nationals still beat Dodgers 5-2 - Andy McCullough OC REGISTER Max Muncy’s measured opportunism fits the Dodgers’ m.o. - J.P. Hoornstra Max Scherzer outduels Clayton Kershaw as Nationals top Dodgers in rare matchup of Cy Young Award winners - J.P. Hoornstra ESPN Nats beat Dodgers 5-2 in uneven matchup of Scherzer, Kershaw TRUE BLUE LA Drillers win 11-0 behind 17 hit attack - Craig Minami Dodgers notes: Justin Turner, Rich Hill, Logan Forsythe - Eric Stephen Max Scherzer, Nationals get the better of Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers - Eric Stephen Tim Locastro scores twice in OKC 6-3 win - Craig Minami DODGER INSIDER LADF kicks off the 2018 College and Career Accelerator at Dodger Stadium - Erin Edwards Roberts acknowledges “there’s a little bit more” to Kershaw-Scherzer matchup - Rowan Kavner Dodgers lament opportunities lost in matchup of the aces - Rowan Kavner THE ATHLETIC Moura: Kershaw outlasted — but couldn't outduel — Scherzer in marquee matchup - Pedro Moura

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS

DAILY CLIPS

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018

MLB.COM

Buehler? Dodgers need a replacement for Hill

By Ken Gurnick

LOS ANGELES -- Manager Dave Roberts wasn't ready to name Walker Buehler, Brock Stewart or anybody

else to replace Rich Hill as Monday night's starting pitcher for the Dodgers against the Marlins at Dodger

Stadium.

"We'll know soon enough," said Roberts before Friday's series opener agianst the Nationals. "We've got

a couple of ideas. I can't say."

Hill, placed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday with a split fingernail on his left middle finger, said

he played catch on Friday and his finger was healed.

"I could have pitched tonight," said Hill. "No issues."

Of course, with the left-hander's history of finger blisters and wounds, it's understandable that

management would err on the side of caution with Hill, who must snap his patented curveball with such

torque that his fingertip skin is always at risk.

Reliever Ross Stripling could get the start, or the Dodgers could recall Buehler or Stewart from Triple-A

Oklahoma City. Buehler is listed as Sunday's starter for OKC, having last pitched on Monday. Stewart last

pitched on Wednesday and Monday would be his regular day to start.

Other injury updates

• Roberts said third baseman Justin Turner, already out nearly five weeks with a fractured left wrist, has

begun hitting off a tee.

"The soreness is really starting to dissipate," Roberts said. "He's not ready for a rehab assignment, but

he's moving in the right direction."

• Logan Forsythe, who went on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation resulting from longer

throws from third base after taking over for Turner, said he might resume throwing by Saturday or

Sunday. Roberts said Forsythe also has begun taking dry swings in the batting cage.

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Kershaw drops duel with Nats' Scherzer

By Ken Gurnick

LOS ANGELES -- There's not much separating the careers of three-time Cy Young Award winners Clayton

Kershaw and Max Scherzer. But after getting outpitched by the Nationals' ace on Friday night at Dodger

Stadium, Kershaw offered his opinion on what makes Scherzer elite.

"His fastball is dominant. His fastball is the separator for him," said Kershaw, who was beaten by

Scherzer and the Nationals, 5-2. "The life and carry he has on that ball, it's really hard for me to hit, it's

just a really good fastball."

Scherzer's fastball touched 96 mph, Kershaw's topped out at 92. So, in a duel between two of the best

pitchers of their generation, that might be one reason Scherzer has won two National League Cy Young

Awards since Kershaw won his third in 2014.

While the velocity edge goes to Scherzer, he complimented Kershaw on the mental game. The mutual

admiration is obvious.

"He attacks the zone, doesn't walk guys," Scherzer said. "He brings it every single time, that's just the

on-surface stuff that you know is going on between his ears, that he goes out there and competes as

well as anybody and attacks the zone."

Although they met in Game 1 of the 2016 NL Division Series (Kershaw won), the classic pitching matchup

marked a regular-season rarity, the first between three-time Cy Young Award winners in a dozen years

(Roger Clemens vs. Greg Maddux). And it was a shaky beginning for both.

Kershaw (1-3) was ambushed in a two-run first inning -- three pitches, three swings and the first run.

Ryan Zimmerman was next with an RBI double and Kershaw was down, 2-0.

"That was their game plan," manager Dave Roberts said of the Nats' aggressiveness. "Knowing Clayton is

a strike-thrower, get him before he gets you was their mentality. High risk, high reward."

"The deeper into the at-bat you go with him, the harder it gets, especially if he can get ahead of you,"

Zimmerman said. "It worked out good tonight. But he's still pretty good."

Kershaw was charged with four runs in seven innings on nine hits, striking out only four because the

Nationals wouldn't allow their at-bats to go deep enough to get to three strikes. Of the 29 batters

Kershaw faced, 14 swung at the first offering.

"I usually expect that with every team; sometimes they foul off the first pitch, sometimes they don't,"

Kershaw said of Washington's aggressiveness. "I've got to make a better pitch to Zimmerman and get

out with one run."

Kershaw retired the next 11 batters before allowing runs in the fifth and sixth innings for a 4-0 deficit.

The Dodgers -- who came into the game with a four-game win streak after breaking out offensively

during a three-game sweep in San Diego -- went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, wasting Chris

Taylor's triple on Scherzer's first pitch and his fifth-inning two-out double.

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"More a product of who they're facing. He's pretty good," Kershaw said, forgiving an offense that's

facing Scherzer. "We did the same thing [swinging early] to Max. He was able to pitch out of it. Usually

you can come back from two [runs down], but it's tough against Max. I can get through seven [innings]

and two [runs], but I had those two tack-ons late that you can't have. We had opportunities, Max limited

the damage."

The Dodgers didn't score on Scherzer until Yasiel Puig's RBI single with two out in the sixth. Scherzer

finished with nine strikeouts in six innings. The Dodgers added a run in the seventh off Washington's

bullpen. They scored seven runs in Kershaw's lone win this year, but only five runs total in his other four

starts.

In the Dodgers' first inning, Taylor's triple was followed by the first of two times Corey Seager was hit by

a pitch. Runners on the corners and no outs, but hot-hitting Yasmani Grandal popped out and Scherzer

fanned Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson.

"First and third, nobody out, came up empty," said Roberts. "That was a big part of the game. If we get

one across, it could have been a different ballgame. Couldn't come up with the big hit."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Leave 'em stranded: In addition to the missed opportunity in the first inning, the Dodgers had a two-on,

one-out setup in the third with hot-hitting Yasmani Grandal up. But Scherzer induced a 4-6-3 double

play to end the inning.

Where's the bunt defense? While Washington's execution of the safety squeeze was perfect, you can't

say the same for the Dodgers' defense. First baseman Bellinger charged hard, but the bunt was fielded

by Kershaw, and second baseman Chase Utley had no chance to outrun Turner to first. The third run

scored as Turner raced to an easy single.

"Belly and I just have to be on the same page. We can't both do the same," said Kershaw. "[Turner] is

really fast, a run is going to score regardless. Just a good play by them."

HE SAID IT

"This is a hard gauge, Scherzer." -- Roberts, on judging the Dodgers' offense on this game

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Kershaw entered the game 10-0 against the Nationals in 10 starts since 2012, including the postseason.

WHAT'S NEXT?

After dealing with Max Scherzer on Friday night, the sledding doesn't ease up on Saturday when the

Dodgers face Stephen Strasburg at 6:10 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will counter with Hyun-

Jin Ryu, who is coming off his second consecutive effective start, striking out nine in six innings against

San Diego.

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Matt Kemp is in the best shape of his life (he really is)

By Mike Petriello

Matt Kemp has "improved his physical conditioning, having lost 40 pounds," read a story here on

MLB.com when Kemp reported to Dodgers Spring Training in February.

You're forgiven if that didn't exactly fire you up about Kemp's 2018 potential. After all, a player claiming

he's shown up at camp "in the best shape of his life" has become something of a running joke in baseball

circles. It's become such a meme that actual studies have been done on the phrase, showing very little

on-field impact for hitters claiming to have improved their conditioning.

And don't forget this: Kemp showed up at Atlanta camp in 2017 with a version of the exact same story.

He followed it with his worst full season in the Majors. You hear this talk every spring. It rarely matters.

Now, with all that said, in Kemp's case, early in the season, there's maybe at least something to this.

Kemp looks better. He's hitting better (.340/.382/.580 in 55 plate appearances entering Saturday). He's

moving better -- and, according to our recent rollout of 2018 Sprint Speed leaderboards, the data backs

it up, too. Of nearly 300 players who qualified in both 2017 and '18, only one has increased his speed

more than Kemp.

Here's what we mean by that. The way Sprint Speed works, it's measured in feet per second on what we

consider to be "qualified runs." (You can read more about it here.) The Major League average is 27 feet

per second, so Kemp's 26.4 ft/sec isn't exactly speedy, but he's gone from being basically the slowest

left fielder in baseball in 2017 (24.9 ft/sec) to being only slightly below the positional average in '18. It's

a sizable jump, bettered only by a slightly larger one from Oakland's Matt Olson.

Now, that list should tell you two things. First, with rare exceptions, most of these guys had below-

average speed last season, giving them room to improve. Someone like Byron Buxton (30.7 ft/sec in

2017) can't really get faster, he can only hold steady (30.5 ft/sec in '18) or go down.

Second, you can also see that a lot of the players on this list who were slower last season had some

pretty compelling health-related reasons. We should be careful to note that it's still early and that we're

somewhat fitting a narrative to an outcome here, yet there's enough signal through the noise to believe

that there's some evidence even before the first month is done.

For example, Mike Moustakas worked hard this winter to improve his conditioning after a disappointing

free-agent experience, and he is also another year removed from his 2016 knee surgery.

Albert Pujols worked hard, as well, knowing the arrival of Shohei Ohtani would force him to play more

first base. (He's already played three more games at first than he did in all of 2017.)

So, of course, did Kemp.

There's also simply the matter of health, or lack of it. Adrian Gonzalez (back), Jarrod Dyson (foot,

hernia), Luis Valbuena (hamstring), and Jean Segura (ankle) all had lower-body concerns in 2017 that

presumably haven't been issues in '18. (Cheslor Cuthbert also missed time, but it's hard to pin a wrist

injury to foot speed.)

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At the other end of the scale, one of the biggest speed decliners is Adam Eaton, who was running at a

very strong 28.7 ft/sec in 2017 before missing most of the season after undergoing surgery on his left

knee and landing on the disabled list again this year with a bruised left ankle. His Sprint Speed early on

has fallen more than two ft/sec, to 26.5 ft/sec.

That importance of health applies to Kemp, too, since he landed on the DL twice in 2017, in April for a

left hamstring injury and in July for a right hamstring injury. Those were just the latest in a litany of

lower-body injuries, including left ankle surgery and a right hamstring strain in '13, and pulls to both

hamstrings in '12. The speed that once allowed him to steal 34 bases or more in three separate seasons

is long gone.

Since Statcast™ came online only in 2015, we can't compare the most recent versions of Kemp to his

earlier heyday. But with the data we do have, it's clear to see that whether due to age, injury or

conditioning, his Sprint Speed declined from '15 to '16, and again from '16 to '17.

Matt Kemp Sprint Speed, 2015-18

2015 -- 25.9 ft/sec

2016 -- 25.3 ft/sec

2017 -- 24.9 ft/sec

2018 -- 26.4 ft/sec

Major League average -- 27 ft/sec

The downward trend is clear, though it's interesting to note that in two of his previous three seasons,

Kemp's fastest months have been April. We know that injuries were to come in previous years, though

there may also be something to be said about feeling fresh early before the weight of the long daily

grind takes its toll.

That said, we've tracked more than 1,000 Kemp runs over the last three-plus seasons, and two of his

fastest five individual runs have come in the last two weeks.

Matt Kemp fastest individual Sprint Speed runs, 2015-18

30.9 ft/sec -- April 12, 2015 (triple)

29.8 ft/sec -- April 12, 2015 (groundout)

29.7 ft/sec -- April 29, 2015 (double, to third on the throw)

29.2 ft/sec -- April 16, 2018 (single)

29.1 ft/sec -- April 10, 2018 (double)

In theory, improved speed should help on defense, too, though it's a little early to draw any solid

conclusions. What we can say is based on the balls hit to Kemp this season, an average outfielder would

have been expected to make the play 94 percent of the time, and he's made the play 95 percent of the

time, so about as expected. Last year, he underperformed by 10 points (expected to catch the ball 86

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percent, made the catch 76 percent) and the year before, he underperformed by 7 points (expected 84,

actual 77).

It's still so early for Kemp, and the possibility of injury or fatigue is a very real concern. But if he's not in

the "best" shape of his life, it's perhaps at least better compared with the last few years. For a player

generally seen as well past his prime, acquired in what was more an accounting move than anything,

Kemp is off to a good start. He's been shockingly useful, based on the eye test. The early data says it

might be legit.

For now.

LA TIMES

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner takes swings off tee

By Andy McCullough

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner took a tentative step forward in his recovery from a fractured wrist

when he took swings off a tee on Friday afternoon, manager Dave Roberts said.

Turner has yet to play this season after suffering the injury on March 19. The team has not announced a

timetable for his return.

"I don't have a date yet when he's going to go out on a rehab" assignment," Roberts said. "But he's

moving in the right direction."

Turner fielded grounders with his injured left hand before Friday's game. He has been able to maintain

his cardio program and throwing program, but is progressing slower with activities that place stress on

the fractured bones.

Logan Forsythe, the team's replacement for Turner at third base, also took some swings in the batting

cage on Friday. Forsythe is recovering from inflammation in his right shoulder. He fielded grounders

alongside Turner before the game, but did not make throws.

"I don't think the pain is there, but there's still a little bit of fatigue," Roberts said. "Is he 100 percent?

No."

No starter set for Monday

Roberts would not say who will start for the Dodgers on Monday against the Miami Marlins. The team

needs a pitcher to replace Rich Hill in the rotation as Hill completes a 10-day stay on the disabled list

with a cracked fingernail. Kenta Maeda will receive an extra day of rest and start on Tuesday, which

creates a vacancy for the series opener.

Roberts declined to speculate on the candidates.

"We'll know soon enough," Roberts said. "I'll let you guys know soon enough. We have a couple ideas.

Can't say."

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The Oklahoma City game notes for Friday listed Walker Buehler as the starter on Sunday and Manny

Banuelos as the starter for Monday. Brock Stewart started on Wednesday and has a 2.65 earned-run

average in three outings this season.

Hill played catch on Friday. He may throw a bullpen session this weekend. He hopes to miss only one

start.

Clayton Kershaw outlasts Max Scherzer, but Nationals still beat Dodgers 5-2

By Andy McCullough

In the middle of the seventh inning of a 5-2 loss to Washington, Clayton Kershaw hunched on the bench

inside his dugout. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts patted Kershaw on the leg and sat down next to him.

Nationals ace Max Scherzer already had completed his evening. Kershaw's night would end soon after.

Kershaw outlasted Scherzer in a duel on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. But he did not outperform

Scherzer. Kershaw (1-3) yielded four runs across seven innings on nine hits, punished by Washington's

aggression, and gave up more hits Friday than he had in any game since last May. Scherzer logged six

innings but surrendered only one run.

"We had our opportunities, just like they did," Kershaw said. "But Max limited the damage better than I

did."

The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak for the Dodgers (8-10). After scoring 30 runs in three

days in San Diego, the offense wilted against more credible competition. Down two in the eighth, Pedro

Baez issued three walks, one with the bases loaded, to deepen the deficit.

The starting pitching matchup was a rarity. In the history of baseball, on only 13 occasions had two

three-time Cy Young Award winners faced each other. The last one was a 2006 duel between Greg

Maddux and Roger Clemens, both near the twilight of their careers. Friday's game offered a meeting

between two pitchers near the height of their powers.

Kershaw had 12 strikeouts in his last outing. Scherzer struck out 11. Roberts did not defuse the hype.

"They're pretty much in a league by themselves," he said. "We understand this is April. But the intensity

already in the clubhouse with Clayton pitching, and knowing who we're playing, it's that playoff

mindset."

As the Nationals gathered for batting practice, Dodgers president Stan Kasten walked over. Kasten had

spent four years in a similar role in Washington, serving as team president when the Nationals drafted

Bryce Harper in 2010. Kasten spotted reporters nearby and joked they would go crazy with speculation

as he chatted with Harper. Kasten offered similar greetings to Nationals stalwart Ryan Zimmerman and

former Dodger Howie Kendrick.

Harper will be a free agent this winter. He figures to headline a class that could include Kershaw — if

Kershaw chooses to opt out.

At 3:20 p.m., Kershaw stalked to his locker inside the clubhouse. He turned toward a monitor to study

the Nationals lineup. Washington sported an offense racked by injuries, with Daniel Murphy, Anthony

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Rendon and Adam Eaton either on the disabled list or on the bench. The top half of the group was still

formidable.

The Nationals came out swinging. The first three batters attacked Kershaw's first pitch. Trea Turner

smashed a 91.2-mph fastball into left for a double. Kendrick lined out to center. Harper chopped a slider

to the right side for an RBI single, capitalizing on a drawn-in infield.

The pace slowed as Zimmerman stepped into the box. Kershaw bounced a pair of sliders, one for a wild

pitch. He evened the count before testing Zimmerman with a 2-2 fastball. Zimmerman hit a laser beyond

the reach of Chris Taylor in center for a run-scoring double.

"I've got to make a better pitch to Zimmerman," Kershaw said. "Maybe get out of there with one run."

Scherzer dealt with a similar rocky start. Taylor pounded Scherzer's first pitch off the right-field wall for a

triple. Scherzer clipped Corey Seager with his next pitch to place runners at the corners. Unlike the

Nationals, the Dodgers could not convert the runners into runs.

Up came Yasmani Grandal, one of the National League's top hitters who had visited with a trainer

between innings after getting drilled by a pair of foul balls behind the plate. Grandal popped up a 1-0

fastball. Cody Bellinger swung through a 94.8-mph fastball. Joc Pederson could only blink at a full-count

curveball which dove into the zone at the last moment.

"If you're not getting guys in when he's on the mound, you're not going to win. Kershaw pitched great

for us," said Bellinger, who struck out three times. "They just got to him a few times. We've just got to

hit with runners [on]. Myself included."

Grandal got another chance in the third. After a walk by Taylor, Scherzer hit Seager with another slider.

Grandal could not capitalize. He bounced a 1-1 changeup into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

After Zimmerman's first-inning double, Kershaw retired 11 in a row. He fanned Harper in the third with

an 0-1 curveball and an 0-2 slider. After Taylor's leadoff triple in the first, Scherzer did not permit a hit

until Taylor doubled in the fifth.

Scherzer contributed to Kershaw's troubles in the fifth. The Nationals continued to attack Kershaw on

the first pitch. Michael A. Taylor slashed a slider for a leadoff double. Scherzer blooped a single to put

runners at the corners for Turner.

Turner bats from the right side. The Dodgers shaded second baseman Chase Utley closer to the bag.

Turner exploited the arrangement. He dropped a bunt down the first-base line. Kershaw and Bellinger

converged on the ball. They had no play at the plate, as Taylor scored. And there was no play at first, as

Utley could not arrive in time.

"He made a good bunt," Roberts said. "With a guy like that, there's really not a whole you can do."

The Nationals stung Kershaw in the sixth with three singles. The last, by Michael A. Taylor, gave Scherzer

a four-run lead. The Dodgers staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning. Yasiel Puig delivered

their first run with a single.

Scherzer departed after six innings and 106 pitches. The Dodgers benefited from seeing Washington's

bullpen. Grandal cracked a run-scoring single off reliever Sammy Solis. The rally went no further, though:

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Bellinger flailed at a pair of changeups outside the zone and Matt Kemp came off the bench to ground

out.

"It's just another loss," Bellinger said. "You've got to tip your cap sometimes."

OC REGISTER

Max Muncy’s measured opportunism fits the Dodgers’ m.o.

By J.P. Hoornstra

LOS ANGELES — In his final season of college baseball, Max Muncy wasn’t Baylor’s best hitter. He didn’t

lead the team in batting average, home runs, RBIs, or stolen bases. He wasn’t the tallest or the fastest.

Muncy was, however, the first Baylor player chosen in the 2012 draft. When the fifth round arrived, the

A’s could not overlook Muncy’s special talent: he knew the strike zone.

“With Oakland, something they like to teach is working the count,” Muncy said. “That was something I

was always proud of. When I grew up doing that, whether it was high school, college or pro ball, I’ve

always been a guy that I wait to get a good pitch to swing. I don’t know where I got it or how I got it.”

When Muncy was released by the A’s last April, the Dodgers quickly signed him to a minor league

contract. Since then, he’s used his trademark patience to post a .415 on-base percentage at Triple-A

Oklahoma City.

In spring training, three of Muncy’s four hits went for extra bases. In his Dodger debut Thursday in San

Diego, Muncy hit his first major-league home run since August of 2016.

The Dodgers don’t seem to care where Muncy discovered his discipline at the plate, as long as he keeps

it. On Sunday, they won their first of four consecutive games by beating the Diamondbacks 7-2. They

drew seven walks in that game, and averaged 5.8 walks per game during the streak. They had averaged

3.1 walks per game to that point in the season.

Manager Dave Roberts said “a concerted effort to get guys on base and to win pitches” has been key to

the Dodgers’ reversal of fortunes.

“At times you start to lose the importance of winning every pitch,” he said. “It’s a small sample, it’s four

games, but I think we’ve done that.”

Muncy fits the Dodgers’ mission statement well. So does Breyvic Valera, the utility player who last week

became the first position player summoned from Triple-A. Both players had walked more than they’d

struck out at the time of their call-ups.

Few expected Valera and Muncy to be the first two position players to leave Oklahoma City for Los

Angeles. But with their specific skill set in vogue, each has been able to add to his nominal major league

service time this month.

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“For our lineup, I think it’s important for us to be aggressive in the strike zone, not be passive,” Roberts

said. “If you watch any video of Max Muncy, if the ball’s over the plate, he can do some damage. He still

can differentiate between strike and ball and take a walk, which we value.”

INJURY UPDATES

Third baseman Justin Turner swung a bat Friday for the first time this month and hit off a tee, Roberts

said. Turner has been relegated to the 10-day disabled list since he was hit by a pitch in spring training,

fracturing his left wrist.

“He said the soreness has really started to dissipate,” Roberts said.

Turner participated in some light infield pregame drills but hasn’t been cleared to catch a ball in his

glove hand.

Pitcher Rich Hill, who was scratched from Friday’s start with a wound on the tip of his left middle finger,

played catch from 120 feet.

“I could have started today,” he said.

Roberts said Hill’s next start has not been determined. He can’t be activated from the DL until April 28.

Hill expects to throw a bullpen session Sunday.

Infielder Logan Forsythe (right shoulder inflammation) took dry swings in the batting cage, Roberts said,

and participated in infield drills alongside Turner without throwing.

ALSO

Monday’s starting pitcher has not been decided yet, Roberts said. Of the five starters at Triple-A

Oklahoma City, Brock Stewart, Justin De Fratus and Tyler Pill would be required to pitch on short rest.

That leaves Manny Banuelos (scheduled to start for OKC on Monday) and Walker Buehler (Sunday) as

the most likely options on the farm. … The Giants pushed their April 29 game against the Dodgers back

an hour, to 2:05 p.m. AT&T Park will open its gates at 12:05 p.m.

UP NEXT

Nationals (RHP Stephen Strasburg) at Dodgers (LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu), 6 p.m., KTLA/5, SportsNet LA (where

available), MLB Network (out of market only).

Max Scherzer outduels Clayton Kershaw as Nationals top Dodgers in rare matchup of Cy Young Award

winners

By J.P. Hoornstra

LOS ANGELES — Somewhere between the latent winter clouds of Washington D.C. and the smog of

Southern California, the Washington Nationals decided they were going to swing their bats against

Clayton Kershaw on Friday.

Trea Turner swung at Kershaw’s first pitch and hit a double down the left-field line. Howie Kendrick

swung at Kershaw’s next pitch and hit a long fly to center, allowing Turner to tag up and reach third

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base. Bryce Harper swung at the next pitch and singled through a helplessly shallow infield. Turner

trotted home with the first run of the game.

Three pitches into Kershaw’s highly anticipated duel with Max Scherzer, the Nationals had turned him

into Alexander Hamilton. The hits kept coming and the Dodgers ultimately lost 5-2 before an announced

crowd of 50,211 at Dodger Stadium.

“We did the same thing to Max,” Kershaw said. “Max was just able to pitch out of it. Two (runs) is tough.

Usually if you’re lucky you can come back from two, but against a guy like Max it’s going to be tough. I

can get through seven (innings) and two (runs), but I had those tack-on runs late that I can’t have.

“We had our opportunities, just like they did, but Max limited the damage tonight.”

Scherzer won this round against Kershaw, a reversal of fortunes from their last meeting in the 2016

National League Division Series. He allowed only one run over six dominant innings Friday, striking out

nine. Other than Chris Taylor (triple, walk, double) no Dodger had Scherzer’s number.

The Dodgers touched Scherzer for four hits and three walks but went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring

position.

“He was just throwing his normal stuff,” Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger said of Scherzer.

“Everything is elite. Every pitch is elite and he can throw it in any count. That’s what makes him so

effective: you can’t really expect a pitch because he can throw anything, whenever.”

Between flashes of brilliance, Kershaw allowed nine hits and four runs over seven innings. With every

batter coming up hacking, Kershaw finished with just four strikeouts. The last time he pitched seven or

more innings and struck out four or fewer batters? July of 2013.

Still, Friday’s performance might have been enough for Kershaw on another night. The Dodgers began

the day riding a four-game winning streak in which they outscored opponents 37-12.

This time, Scherzer was simply too good.

“You look at the last four games, I thought we’d been pretty good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

said. “Scherzer’s kind of a hard guy to gauge off of.”

Games between two such adulated pitchers are rare. It’s been 12 years since the last time Roger

Clemens and Greg Maddux faced off, and by then they were past their peak. Both three-time Cy Young

winners, Scherzer and Kershaw finished 1-2 in last year’s voting and have combined to win four of the

past five NL awards.

It was only game 18 of 162 for the Dodgers (and Game 20 for the Nationals), but Friday’s matchup took

on adding meaning. Roberts said that Scherzer and Kershaw are “pretty much in a league by

themselves.”

“We understand this is April,” the manager said prior to the game, “but the intensity already in the

clubhouse with Clayton pitching, and we know who we’re playing, it’s that kind of playoff mindset. It’s

an important baseball game.”

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For the Nationals, their reaction was to be aggressive from the outset of each at-bat. They scored

another run in the first inning when Ryan Zimmerman doubled to center field, driving in Harper to put

Kershaw in a 2-0 hole.

Between Taylor’s triple to lead off the game, and his double with one out in the fifth inning, Scherzer did

not allow a hit.

Turner laid down a perfectly placed safety squeeze in the fifth inning to scramble the Dodgers’ defense

and knock in Michael Taylor from third base. Up 3-0, Washington tacked on in the sixth, using three

singles to score another run. The Dodgers trailed once during their four-game winning streak; Friday

they never led.

The Dodgers finally broke through in the sixth inning. Joc Pederson drew a two-out walk against

Scherzer. Chase Utley ended a seven-pitch at-bat with a single, sending Pederson to third base. Yasiel

Puig fought off a two-strike fastball from Scherzer then pounced on a slider, hitting it sharply into left

field to score Pederson with the Dodgers’ first run.

By then, Scherzer had a comfortable cushion. He and Kershaw have split their three head-to-head

meetings evenly: each pitcher is 1-1 with a no-decision from their first meeting – back on Sept. 7, 2008,

when the two pitchers were rookies.

“When you play a team that’s as talented as they are, and you face one of the game’s best pitchers,

there is a little bit more at stake I think: your pride, individually competing against Scherzer, your pride

as a ball club,” Roberts said.

Pedro Baez took over for Kershaw in the eighth inning. He allowed one single and walked three batters,

including one with the bases loaded to force in a run.

The Dodgers got their other run in the seventh inning against right-hander Matt Grace. Austin Barnes led

off with a single, Taylor drew another walk, and a one-out single by Yasmani Grandal scored Barnes.

Two more chances to beat the Nationals (10-10) await the Dodgers (8-10) this weekend. Their next shot

at Scherzer will have to wait.

ESPN

Nats beat Dodgers 5-2 in uneven matchup of Scherzer, Kershaw

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers didn't make it easy on Max Scherzer. In the end, though, he was just better

than Clayton Kershaw.

Scherzer allowed one run over six innings in the 13th all-time meeting of three-time Cy Young Award

winners and the Washington Nationals beat Los Angeles 5-2 on Friday night.

Scherzer (4-1) scattered four hits, struck out nine and walked a season-high three in the first such

matchup since 2006.

"Their lineup is tough and they present a lot of problems," he said. "But you don't measure yourself

against the worst, you measure yourself against the best."

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Kershaw (1-3) gave up four runs and nine hits in seven innings while striking out a season-low four

against no walks. The left-hander started the 2009 season with the same record.

"Max limited the damage better than I did," Kershaw said. "Just not enough good pitches with runners in

scoring position. When you're going against Max, it's going to be tough."

Washington improved to 7-3 on the road and ended the Dodgers' four-game winning streak.

"We kept getting guys on base, but we couldn't score," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Nationals wasted no time in getting to Kershaw.

Trea Turner doubled on his first pitch -- a 91 mph fastball -- to open the game. After Howie Kendrick

flied out, Bryce Harper banged an 87-mph, first-pitch slider into right field for an RBI single. He took

second on Kershaw's wild pitch. Ryan Zimmerman followed with an RBI double to center for a 2-0 lead.

"I was ready to hit the first pitch," Zimmerman said. "The deeper you go into at bats with him, the

harder it gets."

Kershaw retired 11 in a row after his messy start in front of 50,211 on an unseasonable 62-degree

evening.

Scherzer also gave up a hit to start the game, a triple by Chris Taylor. After hitting Corey Seager in the

right leg, he retired the next three batters, striking out two.

The Nats bailed out Scherzer in the third. After striking out Kershaw, he walked Taylor and hit Seager for

the second time before the defense turned Yasmani Grandal's grounder into an inning-ending double

play.

"I felt like I was falling behind in the counts and just wasn't pitching quite as efficient as I would like to,

and it led to three walks," Scherzer said. "(Matt) Wieters called some good pitches and the offense kept

scrapping along. It made for a good team win."

Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Washington added a run in the fifth on Michael A. Taylor's bunt single to Kershaw that beat the shift.

Kershaw first looked helpless as he searched for someone to throw to and then annoyed when no one

covered first.

"Belli and I have to be on the same page," Kershaw said of first baseman Cody Bellinger. "Either I go to

the base or he does. We can't do the same thing."

Kershaw gave up three singles to center in the sixth. Taylor's RBI came with two outs and had Kershaw

ducking to avoid being hit as the Nats extended their lead to 4-0.

Washington made it 5-2 in the eighth after Pedro Baez gave up his third bases-loaded walk of the season

to Wilmer Difo with two outs. Baez exited to boos.

Yasiel Puig snapped the Dodgers' 0-for-6 string with runners in scoring position streak with a two-out,

two-strike RBI single in the sixth that made it 4-1.

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Los Angeles trailed 4-2 in the seventh on Grandal's single off Sammy Solis. The Dodgers had the

potential tying runs on and go-ahead run at the plate when pinch-hitter Matt Kemp grounded into a

fielder's choice to second that ended the threat.

"That was a playoff atmosphere," Solis said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: OF Adam Eaton (left ankle bone bruise) hit in the batting cage and ran and is close to

returning. ... 3B Anthony Rendon (day-to-day with toe injury) took ground balls and hit on the field. He is

likely to play this weekend.

Dodgers: INF Justin Turner (left wrist fracture) took ground balls and hit off a tee for the first time. He

says his soreness is dissipating, although no date has been set for a rehab appearance. ... INF Logan

Forsythe (right shoulder inflammation) took swings in the cage, but still has fatigue in his shoulder. ...

LHP Rich Hill was supposed to start Friday, but is on the DL with a cracked nail on his middle left finger.

STREAK SNAPPED

Kershaw had his nine-game winning streak against the Nationals dating to 2010 snapped. However, he is

11-3 with a 2.18 ERA against them. So far this season, Kershaw has a 2.45 ERA with 35 strikeouts and

three walks while holding hitters to a .228 average.

HARPER ON BASE

Harper went 1 for 4 with two runs and a walk. He's reached base safely in 17 of 20 games to open the

season, with 20 runs, one double, eight homers and 19 RBI.

TAYLOR RISING

Taylor went 2 for 4 with a run while recording his third multi-hit game of the season. In his last six

games, he's hitting .300 with six runs, three doubles and three RBI along with a .391 on-base

percentage. "He's been trying to cut down on his stride a little bit and stay in the middle of the field, and

it was good to see him hit a breaking ball," Martinez said.

SIT DOWN CATCH

Puig caught a sinking line drive off Harper's bat in the sixth while sitting down in right field.

UP NEXT

RHP Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 3.08 ERA) starts for the Nats against LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-0, 2.87) on

Saturday. The Nats won both matchups against Ryu last season, 4-2 in LA and 7-1 in Washington. Ryu

didn't factor in the road loss.

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TRUE BLUE LA

Drillers win 11-0 behind 17 hit attack

By Craig Minami

For a moment it looked like a perfect day for the four Dodger affiliates. But then a two-run homer in the

9th inning would end up beating Rancho Cucamonga. Prior to that game, Oklahoma City, Tulsa and

Great Lakes each won their games.

Player of the day

Loons designated hitter Nick Yarnall had four hits including his third home run. Two Drillers, Keibert Ruiz

and Jacob Scavuzzo each had four hits.

But I picked Yusniel Diaz for today’s Player of the Day. Diaz was making his 2018 debut and he had great

game with three hits and two walks. Diaz was the No. 11 prospect on the 2018 True Blue LA list. He joins

a lineup with three True Blue LA Top 10 Dodger prospects Keibert Ruiz, DJ Peters and Will Smith.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Dodgers bounced back from their extra-inning loss and beat the Round Rock Express (Rangers) 2-1

on Thursday. The Dodgers got solid relief work from Pat Venditte, who threw two scoreless innings and

Brian Schlitter, who recorded his second save.

Trailing by a run and with one out, Travis Taijeron singled and went to second on a wild pitch. The

recently returned Breyvic Valera singled home Taijeron.

Tied 1-1, the Dodgers took the lead when Alex Verdugo hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Tim Locastro, who

had tripled to lead off the sixth inning.

Justus DeFratus made his first start for Oklahoma City after starting his season in Tulsa. DeFratus pitched

5⅔ innings and allowed one run and six hits. While he had no walks, DeFratus only had one strikeout.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers were refreshed after their off-day and went to Springdale, Arkansas to beat NW Arkansas

Naturals (Royals) 11-0. The Drillers had 17 hits, including home runs from Will Smith and Jacob Scavuzzo.

Four players had multiple hit games, Keibert Ruiz and Scavuzzo each had four hits, Luke Raley and

Yusniel Diaz had three hits. Diaz would also walk twice and score twice.

In his first four games this season, DJ Peters had struck out eight times with no walks. Since April 12th,

Peters has seven walks, including four on Thursday, while striking out seven times.

Four pitchers combined to pitch the shutout, Frank Duncan started and went 3⅔ innings. Duncan was

followed by Shea Spitzbarth and Michael Johnson each pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings. Corey Copping

recorded to the final two outs to ensure the shutout.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

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The Quakes returned home trying to go over .500 for the first time this season. They took a one-run lead

to the ninth inning but then Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) came back with two runs to win 5-4.

Stetson Allie entered the game looking for his first career save but he gave up a single to Brad Zunica.

Luis Torrens, who had six career home runs in over 600 minor league at-bats, hit a two-run homer to

give the Storm the lead.

Prior to the ninth inning, Isaac Anderson and Andrew Istler combined to pitch six innings and give up

two runs. Jason Richman pitched a scoreless seventh but allowed one run in the eighth that set up the

Storm’s comeback win.

As for the Quakes offense, Cristian Santana had two hits and an RBI, Donovan Casey scored two runs

and Gavin Lux had a key two-run double that gave the lead to the Quakes.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons had lost six straight games while also having an entire weekend series at home postponed

due to weather. So on Thursday, they hopefully turned the corner with a 10-2 win over the Fort Wayne

TinCaps (Padres).

Nick Yarnall, who has played well despite the off-days and bad weather, went 4-for-5 with a home run

and four RBI. Yarnall was a 35th round pick in 2016 and he is making his second stop at Great Lakes.

Moises Perez also had four hits including a double.

Jesus Vargas is an intriguing pitcher, the nineteen year old has been in the Dodger organization since

2015. Last season, in stops at both Dodger Rookie League teams, Vargas pitched 62⅔ innings with 52

strikeouts and nine walks.

On Thursday, Vargas got his first Midwest League win when he pitched five scoreless innings with no

runs or hits. Vargas struck out five and walked three.

Transactions

Triple-A: Right-handed pitchers Justin DeFratus and Daniel Corcino assigned to Oklahoma City from Tulsa

Double-A: Outfielder Yusniel Diaz assigned to Tulsa from Extended Spring Training.

Class-A: Right-handed pitcher Alfredo Tavarez assigned to Great Lakes from Ogden.

Thursday’s scores

Oklahoma City 2, Round Rock 1

Tulsa 11, NW Arkansas 0

Lake Elsinore 5, Rancho Cucamonga 4

Great Lakes 10, Fort Wayne 2

Friday’s schedule

3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (TBD) vs. West Michigan [Tigers] (Matt Manning)

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5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (TBD) at Round Rock (TBD)

5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Devin Smeltzer) at NW Arkansas (Emilio Ogando)

7:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Dean Kremer) vs. Lake Elsinore (Pedro Avila)

Dodgers notes: Justin Turner, Rich Hill, Logan Forsythe

By Eric Stephen

LOS ANGELES — Before the Dodgers started their weekend series against the Nationals a trio of three

players on the disabled list threw a baseball in various stages of their rehab.

Justin Turner played light catch in the infield and threw long toss in the outfield on Friday but used a

partner to catch the ball, to protect his broken left wrist. That partner was Logan Forsythe, who didn’t

throw while still dealing with inflammation in his right shoulder.

Both Turner and Forsythe took dry swings on Friday, going through the motions without actually hitting

the ball. Turner also for the first time hit off a tee. There is still no timetable for Turner’s return.

Starting lineups

Pos Nationals Pos Dodgers

SS Turner CF Taylor

2B Kendrick SS Seager (L)

RF Harper (L) C Grandal (S)

1B Zimmerman 1B Bellinger (L)

LF Sierra LF Pederson (L)

C Wieters (S) 2B Utley (L)

CF Taylor RF Puig

3B Difo (S) 3B Muncy (L)

P Scherzer P Kershaw (L)

Time: 7:10 p.m. PT TV: SportsNet LA

Forsythe will be eligible to return as early as Wednesday though it’s unclear exactly when he will be

activated.

“I don’t think the pain is there but there’s still some fatigue,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Rich Hill threw as well on Friday, testing his cracked fingernail, and remains likely to just miss one start.

“I could start today,” Hill told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

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Hill’s return is also eligible Wednesday, but with Thursday’s off day he could wait to be activated for

next weekend’s series in San Francisco. Roberts on Friday wouldn’t commit to his rotation beyond this

weekend. When asked who the candidates were for Monday’s start, he said, “I don’t want to go there

yet.”

Brock Stewart and Walker Buehler remain the most likely choices for Monday’s opener against the

Marlins.

The Dodgers are stacking left-handers against Max Scherzer, with Max Muncy getting a second straight

start at third base plus Chase Utley at second base and Joc Pederson in left field.

Matt Kemp gets the night off, at least to start. He has the most career plate appearances against

Scherzer among Dodgers, but is just 6-for-46 with two doubles, a home run, three walks and 14

strikeouts (.130/.184/.239). He started 0-for-22 against Scherzer before getting his first single against

him in 2015.

Bryce Harper is just 2-for-23 (.087) with a home run, a double, two walks and 14 strikeouts against

Clayton Kershaw in his career. Harper this season is hitting .288/.471/.712, leading the majors in home

runs (eight) and walks (24) and leading the National League in RBI (18).

Of Friday night’s pitching matchup, Roberts said of Kershaw and Scherzer, “They’re two of the best

competitors in the game. The stuff, the execution, they are in a league pretty much by themselves.”

Washington move

The Nationals before the series opener made a roster move, calling up relief pitcher Carlos Torres for

their bullpen and designating pitcher A.J. Cole for assignment.

Max Scherzer, Nationals get the better of Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

By Eric Stephen

LOS ANGELES — If Friday night’s game was a heavyweight bout, the Nationals got their jabs in all night

against Clayton Kershaw while the Dodgers were unable to put together many combinations in a 5-2 loss

to Max Scherzer in the opener of a weekend series at Dodger Stadium.

Three pitches into the game Washington swung three times against Kershaw and were rewarded with a

run thanks to a double by Trea Turner and a single by Bryce Harper. The next batter, Ryan Zimmerman,

was more patient waiting until the fifth pitch to hit a booming double of his own for a quick 2-0 lead.

“That was their game plan,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Knowing that Clayton was a strike-thrower,

kind of get him before he gets you mentality.”

Before Friday batters were 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position against Kershaw, and that hit didn’t

even score a run. In the first inning on Friday the Nationals got two such hits. Washington was 5-for-11

on Friday with runners in scoring position against Kershaw, and tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth

against him.

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“Max limited the damage better than I did tonight,” Kershaw said. “There were just not enough good

pitches with runners in scoring position to get out of jams. When you’re going against Max it’s going to

be tough.”

Against Scherzer, Chris Taylor messed around and got a triple, double (and a walk) but it was anything

but a good day for the Dodgers offense.

Taylor was stranded after his triple to lead off the first inning, like the Nats also hit on the first pitch. The

Dodgers have hit three triples this season, and both of the leadoff triples resulted in no runs.

The Dodgers put runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings against Scherzer but were just

1-for-8 with runners in scoring position against him. An RBI single by Yasiel Puig in the sixth inning finally

got the Dodgers on the scoreboard.

All that traffic on the bases taxed Scherzer to the tune of 106 pitches, enough to limit him to six innings.

He did strike out nine, which helped limit the damage.

“Every pitch is elite, and he can throw it in any count,” Cody Bellinger said. “That’s what makes him so

hard to hit.”

The rope-a-dope strategy briefly paid off for the Dodgers, who used two singles and a walk to score a

run in the sixth then did the same against the bullpen in the seventh.

“Our offense did a good job of getting the pitch count up, getting Scherzer out of there in six innings,”

Roberts said. “But there were some opportunities we had that we just couldn’t capitalize on.”

However, Pedro Baez slowed the Dodgers’ comeback climb to a crawl with a three-walk eighth inning,

including walking home another insurance run for Washington.

Notes

Friday was Kershaw’s first loss to the Nationals since Aug. 6, 2010. He was 10-0 with a 1.68 ERA in his

previous 11 starts against them, including the playoffs.

Corey Seager was hit twice by Scherzer. Seager is the first Dodger to get hit by two pitches in one game

since — no surprise — Justin Turner on Apr. 15, 2017.

Bellinger played the final two defensive innings in left field, his first action in the outfield this season. He

played 366 defensive innings in the outfield in his rookie season, including 29 starts.

Dodgers pitchers have six bases-loaded walks this season, one shy of Atlanta’s major league lead. Baez

has three of them.

Up next

Hyun-jin Ryu takes the mound in the middle game of the series on Saturday night, a 6:10 p.m. PT start.

Stephen Strasburg starts for the Nationals. Saturday’s SportsNet LA broadcast will be simulcast by KTLA

and also shown on MLB Network, the latter subject to local blackouts.

Schedule change: The Dodgers’ series finale on Sunday, Apr. 29 against the Giants in San Francisco has

been changed from a 1:05 p.m. start to a 2:05 p.m. game time.

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Friday particulars

Home runs: none

WP - Max Scherzer (4-1): 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts

LP - Clayton Kershaw (1-3): 7 IP, 9 hits, 4 runs, 4 strikeouts

Sv - Sean Doolittle (4): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

Tim Locastro scores twice in OKC 6-3 win

By Craig Minami

Oklahoma City has won 11 out of their last 12 games and Rancho Cucamonga eighth-inning comeback

brings them back to .500. Tulsa’s offense has an off-day while Great Lakes drops their game in the late

innings.

Player of the day

Tim Locastro scored twice and got on base three times in five plate appearances in Oklahoma City’s win.

Locastro has scored 18 runs that is tied for first place in the PCL. He is hitting .391/.481/.609 in 52 plate

appearances.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Dodgers scored twice in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and went on to beat the Round Rock

Express (Rangers) 6-3 to take three out of four games in their series. The win raised the Dodgers record

to 12-2 which is a franchise best start since joining the Pacific Coast League.

The two-run rally started when Jake Peter was hit by pitch. Breyvic Valera singled Peter to third and then

Valera went to second on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly scored Peter and later a wild pitch brought home

Valera.

The Dodgers scored once more in the eighth on three singles from Rob Segedin, Peter and Valera.

Six pitchers took the mound for the Dodgers, two highlights include Daniel Hudson’s fifth scoreless

appearance and Brian Schlitter recorded his third save in four tries.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers lost 4-1 to the NW Arkansas Naturals (Royals) and split their two-game set in Arkansas. Both

teams will now travel to 100 plus miles back to Tulsa for a two-game series.

Karch Kowalcyzk took the loss after giving up three runs (one earned) in two innings pitched. Brian

Moran pitched well with three scoreless innings in relief.

The Drillers had a quiet day at the plate, DJ Peters was walked twice and Yusniel Diaz went 2-for-4. Jacob

Scavuzzo hit his second home run of the season.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

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The Quakes saw another lead lost in the late innings but this time their offense battled back to score five

runs in the eighth and that was enough to beat Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 7-5 at Rancho Cucamonga.

Leading by a run going to the top of the eighth, the Storm scored three runs to take a two-run lead. The

Quakes comeback started with solo home runs from Cristian Santana and Donovan Casey that tied the

game 4-4.

The rally continued when after an error put Cody Thomas on, Hamlet Marte tripled in Thomas and Steve

Berman followed with an RBi single. Logan Landon doubled Berman to third.

After a pitching change, Omar Estevez hit a sacrifice fly to score Berman. Trailing by three runs, the

Storm tried to comeback with a solo home run from Taylor Kohlwey. But that wasn’t enough as the

Quakes went on to win. The win evened the Quakes season record to 8-8.

Dean Kremer pitched five innings and gave up a run and five hits. Kremer struck out 10 with no walks.

Imani Abdullah relieved Kremer and struck out two in his inning of work.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons dropped the first game of their home stand with a 5-4 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps

(Tigers). With a one-run lead in the eighth, the Loons lost the lead when after a walk, Luke Burch tripled

home the tying run. Burch would later score the ultimate winning run on a sacrifice fly out.

The Whitecaps started the scoring with a run in the first and two runs in the second. Down by three, the

Loons loaded the bases with two out. Brandon Montgomery then singled home two runs.

After a pitching change, Romer Cuadrado stole home to tie the game. The Loons would break the tie on

a Nick Yarnall singled home Brayan Morales in the sixth inning.

Loon’s reliever Zach Pop was impressive, in 2⅔ innings, Pop struck out six with no hits or walks.

Transactions

Triple-A: Oklahoma City placed right-handed pitcher Justin DeFratus on the temporarily inactive list;

right-handed pitcher Tyler Pill assigned to Oklahoma City.

Double-A: Tulsa placed infielder Wes Darvill on the 7-day disabled list; right-handed pitcher Ariel

Hernandez assigned to Tulsa.

Friday’s scores

Oklahoma City 6, Round Rock 3

NW Arkansas 4, Tulsa 1

Rancho Cucamonga 7, Lake Elsinore 5

West Michigan 5, Great Lakes 4

Saturday’s schedule

11:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Riley Ottesen) vs. West Michigan (Jesus Rodriguez)

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4:00 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Guillermo Moscoso) at New Orleans [Marlins] (Zac Gallen)

5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Yadier Alvarez) vs. NW Arkansas (Glenn Sparkman)

7:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Andrew Sopko) vs. Lake Elsinore (Ronald Bolaños)

DODGER INSIDER

LADF kicks off the 2018 College and Career Accelerator at Dodger Stadium

By Erin Edwards

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) kicked off its 2018 College and Career Accelerator (CCA)

with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Minds Matter Los Angeles (MMLA) at Dodger Stadium’s Right-Field Plaza

on Wednesday.

LADF co-hosted a College Signing Day for 100 Los Angeles students from MMLA, LA College Promise, The

Posse Foundation and Riordan Scholars. Los Angeles Mayor City Councilmember Gil Cedillo, Dodger

President and CEO Stan Kasten and Dodger Alumni Manny Mota and Kenny Landreaux were also on

hand to celebrate with the students as they commit to their higher education.

“College Signing Day reminds us that dreams are coming true every day in Los Angeles,” said Mayor Eric

Garcetti. “These amazing students represent the best of LA, and I am proud to partner with Minds

Matter of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation to showcase their brilliance and

potential.”

The CCA is an initiative designed to expose first-generation students to college and their careers. The

goal is to use the LADF brand to make college & career pathways exciting. LADF gives students access to

career knowledge, provides networking opportunities, helps students understand the steps to get into

college and find scholarship opportunities. LADF invites students in its programs and students from the

over 25 college access and success organizations that it supports through its grants program to various

events including College Panels, Career Panels, College Tours, College Signing Day Events, College

Athletic Panels, Mentoring Events, Guest Speakers and Recruiting Events.

“We are thrilled to partner with Minds Matter of Los Angeles on this inaugural College Signing Day to

recognize and celebrate the academic success of these students and their commitment to college, said

LADF Executive Director Nichol Whiteman. “LADF is committed to providing support and resources to

local college access and success organizations that help level the playing field for all students to achieve

higher education.”

The evening included a resource fair where students learned about organizations that provide support

and opportunities while in college. There were pre-recorded messages from Dodger pitcher Kenley

Jansen and actress Anna Faris. The excited students proudly wore sweatshirts representing the college

they are planning to attend.

“I am so honored to be bringing this event to Los Angeles. Low income, first generation students have all

the ambition and capability to fulfill their dream of college but lack knowledge, resources and

opportunity. Today we are celebrating the future leaders of Los Angeles, who against enormous odds

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and obstacles are fulfilling their dreams of a college education. We could not imagine better partners in

this effort than the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti,”

said Tina Admans, President and Chairperson, Minds Matter of Los Angeles.

For more information on all of LADF programs and fundraising activity and to subscribe to our

newsletter, please visit dodgers.com/ladf. Stay up to date and follow LADF on social media: Twitter

(@DodgersFdn), Instagram (dodgersfoundation) and Facebook (LosAngelesDodgersFoundation).

Roberts acknowledges “there’s a little bit more” to Kershaw-Scherzer matchup

By Rowan Kavner

Whether right or wrong, manager Dave Roberts has said there tends to be an added level of focus when

Clayton Kershaw takes the mound. When he does it against a fellow three-time Cy Young Award winner,

it jumps another notch.

Roberts acknowledged before Friday night’s matchup between Kershaw and Max Scherzer there’s a

little more juice as the Dodgers return home to face the Nationals than a normal April matchup.

“Every game is the same value,” Roberts said. “But I do think that when you play a team that’s as

talented as they are and you face one of the game’s best pitchers, there’s a little bit more at stake and

your pride and individually competing against Scherzer and your pride as a ball club and how you show

against guys like that, there’s some of that, for sure.”

The 10th regular season meeting all-time between three-time Cy Young Award winners Friday night is

also just the second regular season meeting ever between Kershaw and Scherzer and the first since

Sept. 7, 2008.

Look back at most “National League best” statistics since 2015, when Scherzer returned to the NL and

joined the Nationals, and there’s a good chance the two aces are in the top two or three in some order,

including ERA, opponents’ average, strikeouts and complete games. The two pitchers have accounted

for five of the last seven NL Cy Young Awards, and the aces both finished in the top two in voting last

year.

“You’re going to see two of the best competitors in the game,” Roberts said. “Obviously the stuff, the

execution, the compete — they’re pretty much in a league by themselves. We understand this is April,

but the intensity already in the clubhouse with Clayton pitching and knowing who we’re playing, it’s that

kind of playoff mindset. It’s an important baseball game.”

The Dodgers hope to keep the bats going after scoring 30 runs in their three-game series against the

Padres. Yasmani Grandal, who’s tied for the NL lead in batting average (.352) and has an OPS better than

1.000 from both the left (1.011) and right (1.111) sides, is hitting third behind Corey Seager, who’s

coming off a four-hit performance.

“You wish you could have guys swing the bats like that all the time, but that’s not realistic,” Roberts said.

“What is realistic is for us to conduct the at-bat quality that we did the last four games, taking walks

when we need to and continue to have guys on base. Then, when you get guys on base, to then have

that hit to blow a game open.”

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Max Muncy is in the lineup and playing third base after hitting his first home run as a Dodger in San

Diego. Roberts knew from Spring Training he liked the at-bat quality Muncy brought.

“He knows the strike zone,” Roberts said. “He can slug. He can hit a fastball. He can play the corners.

Really made a nice play the other day in San Diego to his backhand, showed his arm strength. He’s a

grinder type and really looks comfortable as a big-league ballplayer.”

Injury Updates

As the Dodgers piece things together at third base, their All-Star at the position continues to inch closer

to a return.

Roberts said there’s no date set yet for a rehab assignment for Justin Turner, but he started to take

swings off a tee and dry swings Friday.

“Talked to JT earlier,” Roberts said. “He’s in great shape. He looks great. He said the soreness is really

starting to dissipate, taking swings a little bit.”

Turner has fielded grounders in the infield in recent days, though there’s still work to be done before

he’s catching hard throws or taking cuts against a pitcher. Logan Forsythe, who’s dealing with right

shoulder inflammation and was catching the throws to Turner but not throwing Friday, also took some

dry swings in the batting cage.

“The shoulder, I don’t think the pain is there, I think there’s still a little fatigue,” Roberts said. “Is he 100

percent? No. I haven’t heard how swinging the bat in the cage was today.”

Roberts also said Hill (left third digit inflammation) played a light catch, and there’s no decision yet on

when he’ll be penciled back into the rotation.

Dodgers lament opportunities lost in matchup of the aces

By Rowan Kavner

The Dodgers got their chances for an early knockout in Friday’s main event, but the one big offensive

punch wouldn’t arrive in a match determined by their opponent’s glancing blows.

Clayton Kershaw outlasted Max Scherzer seven innings to six, but with both teams getting double-digit

at-bats with runners in scoring position, the Dodgers couldn’t take advantage of their multiple

opportunities in a 5–2 loss that snapped a four-game winning streak.

The Dodgers knew coming into the night Scherzer and the Nationals would provide a tougher litmus test

for where the offense — which had scored 30 runs in three games in San Diego — was at. Mixed results

followed, as the Dodgers put runners in scoring position in six of the first seven innings but had only two

runs to show.

The Nationals, meanwhile, got their first two runs before the Dodgers recorded their first at-bat.

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Washington struck quickly, with Trea Turner taking the first pitch of the game to the left-field corner for

a double to spark a two-run inning — as many runs as Kershaw had allowed in any of his previous four

games this season.

“That was their game plan, knowing that Clayton was a strike thrower,” said manager Dave Roberts.

“’Get him before he gets you,’ kind of was their mentality.”

Chris Taylor saw Turner’s double and countered, taking the Dodgers’ first pitch of the game for extra

bases by answering with a triple on the first pitch he saw off Scherzer.

But in a matchup of the aces, how a team takes advantage of chances becomes paramount. And the

Dodgers best chance came up empty, leaving runners on the corners in the first inning after the

Dodgers’ first two batters of the game reached base.

“That was a big part in the game,” Roberts said.

The Dodgers entered the night 11th in the Majors with a .268 batting average with runners in scoring

position, but they had nothing to show for putting runners in scoring position in four of the first five

innings off Scherzer, largely via walks and hit by pitches.

They would finish 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the night, while the Nationals went 5-for-

13. Kershaw looks more at that latter stat.

“Some positives, but at the end of the day, just not enough good pitches with runners in scoring position

to get out of jams,” Kershaw said. “When you’re going against Max, it’s going to be tough.”

When the first two Dodger batters reached in the first inning, the next three got out. When two batters

reached in the third, an inning-ending double play followed. When Taylor doubled in the fifth, a

strikeout ended the inning with no damage done.

“You can sit on something all you want, but it’s still hard to hit,” Cody Bellinger said of going against

Scherzer. “We had our opportunities to score. We didn’t capitalize.”

The lone Dodger who had Scherzer’s number was Taylor, reaching base all three times against the

Washington ace and reaching base four times overall. Few others had such luck, particularly through the

first half of the night.

In the sixth, the Dodgers finally got through.

For the fifth time in the first six innings, the Dodgers put a runner in scoring position, this time via a Joc

Pederson walk and a single by Chase Utley, which raised his batting average to .342 at the time for the

year. Yasiel Puig followed with an RBI single to get the Dodgers on the board, though that would be it, as

the Dodgers left two on base for the third time in six innings.

While Scherzer only allowed a run and struck out nine, three Dodger walks and two hit by pitches —

 both absorbed by Corey Seager, who was only hit by a pitch four times all of last year — increased

Scherzer’s pitch count to 106 after six innings to end his night.

“I thought our offense did a good job of getting the pitch count up, getting Scherzer out in six innings,

giving us a chance with their guys out of the pen,” Roberts said. “But there were some opportunities

that we had and we just didn’t capitalize. Against a guy like Scherzer, that’s tough.”

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The Dodgers appeared set to do damage against the Nationals’ relievers, again putting two on base in

the seventh inning. Washington opted to go with a lefty, Sammy Solis, to face the switch-hitting Yasmani

Grandal, who entered with an OPS better than 1.000 from both sides of the plate this year. Grandal, in

his first right-handed at-bat of the night, foiled the Nationals’ plan delivering an RBI single to cut the

deficit to two.

But again, two runners would be left stranded to end the inning.

When Kershaw recounts the performance, it’s not the nine hits he allowed that bothered him as much

as when they came on a night he struck out four in seven innings. In particular, it’s the final two runs he

allowed — RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings, including the former on a bunt — he looks back to

most.

“I had those tack-on runs late that I can’t have,” Kershaw said.

The Dodgers will look to get back in the win column Saturday, with Hyun-Jin Ryu, coming off a nine-

strikeout night, facing Stephen Strasburg.

THE ATHLETIC

Moura: Kershaw outlasted — but couldn't outduel — Scherzer in marquee matchup

By Pedro Moura

It felt like an event conducted out of order, the play’s third act held before the second.

Trea Turner cracked Clayton Kershaw’s first pitch Friday night to the left-field wall for a double. Howie

Kendrick drove his second to center field, far enough to advance Turner to third. And Bryce Harper

slipped Kershaw’s third pitch through to right field, scoring Turner.

Kershaw has said he always expects opponents to come out swinging, but this was the first time this

season anyone actually met those expectations. The leadoff hitters he faced in his first four starts

passed on his first pitches.

This time, Kershaw surrendered three hits and two runs before the first inning was over at Dodger

Stadium. But he required only 15 pitches to complete it. Though that enabled him to finish seven innings

with pitches to spare, the Nationals’ early lead proved insurmountable, and Washington won one of this

season’s most anticipated matchups, 5-2.

“High risk and high reward,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described. “Unfortunately for us, it

benefitted them.”

The Dodgers did attempt a similar tack. In the bottom of the inning, Chris Taylor sent Max Scherzer’s

first pitch to the bottom of the right-field wall. He made it all the way to third, and the Dodgers had

runners on the corners after Scherzer’s next pitch hit Corey Seager in the leg. But Scherzer induced a

pop-up and two strikeouts to escape with the Dodgers still scoreless, an effort Kershaw later called out

to praise.

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Scherzer’s strengths were most obvious on the first strikeout, while facing Cody Bellinger. With the

count 2-and-2, after Bellinger waited out a changeup in the dirt, Scherzer pumped a middle-in fastball

clocked at 94.8 mph. Bellinger hit .341 on pitches located there last season. It was a fastball count. Still,

he struck out swinging, hopelessly late.

“You can sit on something all you want, but it’s still hard to hit even if you know it’s coming,” Bellinger

said. “Everything is elite. Every pitch he throws is elite, and he can throw it in any count. You can’t really

expect a pitch, because he can throw anything whenever.”

The Nationals starting a lineup absent three of their five best position players. Adam Eaton, Anthony

Rendon, and Daniel Murphy are all out with injuries. Yet, they pounded out nine hits off of Kershaw,

more than he had permitted since May 28. Only five times in 295 career starts has he allowed more.

Scherzer managed only six innings, so Kershaw outlasted him. But he better held the line.

He twice hit Seager on the leg with pitches, issued two early walks to Taylor and Bellinger, and allowed

two extra-base hits to Taylor, the triple and a double. Otherwise, he was unbeaten until there were two

outs in the sixth. Joc Pederson walked, Chase Utley notched a shift-beating single, and Yasiel Puig

stroked a run-scoring single into left. Presented with a a chance to tie the game with a home run, Max

Muncy struck out on three pitches, one of 10 outs the Dodgers made in 12 tries with runners in scoring

position.

“If you’re not getting guys in when guys are on base when he’s on the mound, you’re not going to win,”

Bellinger said. “No matter what.”

Only 13 times in baseball history had two three-time Cy Young winners matched up in the regular

season. The last time was a dozen years ago, between Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens, when both

were in their 40s. This marked much more of a meeting between men in their primes.

“They're pretty much in a league by themselves,” Roberts said before the game, willingly setting the

stage. “We understand this is April, but the intensity already in the clubhouse with Clayton pitching, and

knowing who we’re playing, it's that playoff mindset.”

Kershaw remains the Dodgers’ ace and one of baseball’s very best pitchers. But, even before Friday’s

game, it was reasonable to question whether he can be as dominant as Scherzer. Kershaw definitely

does not boast the same electrifying qualities on his fastball. And if not, whether the Dodgers might be

overmatched from a pitching standpoint in the postseason. Their embattled closer, Kenley Jansen, has

not demonstrated he still has the same unhittable cutter he once had.

They do have one man in their organization who offers elite stuff: Walker Buehler. And he might be here

as soon as Monday. The Dodgers appear to have decided who will take the rotation spot temporarily

vacated by Rich Hill’s cracked fingernail. But they say they are not ready to announce it yet. It’s likely to

be Buehler or Brock Stewart.

If these are the playoffs, they last two more days before the feeble Miami Marlins come to town

Monday. The Dodgers have to face one more elite pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, on Saturday. Their

offense entered this series hot. Will they exit it that way?

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