Sharp Kershaw, Dodgers finish off Brewers
Division Series schedule
Box scores
Recap of Thursday night’s late game Notebook
Beat up in the postseason over the years, Clayton Kershaw orchestrated one of his best performances against the weakened Brewers.
Kershaw struck out 13 while delivering eight innings of three-hit ball, Mookie Betts hit a two-out, two-run double in the fifth, and the Dodgers won 3-0 to sweep their NL wild-card series on Thursday night.
“This was a fun night for me,” said Kershaw, who displayed a rare smile on the mound. “Get the postseason off to a good start. It's a good first step for sure.”
The eight-time West champion Dodgers advanced to the NL Division Series in Arlington, Texas, and will play either the Cardinals or Padres, who met in a deciding Game 3 on Friday.
Kershaw's strikeouts were a playoff career high and the most by a Dodgers pitcher in the postseason since his mentor Sandy Koufax had 15 in Game 1 of the 1963 World Series against the Yankees.
“That was pretty spectacular, for sure,” Betts said. “He gave us all the opportunities in the world to capitalize.”
Kershaw, a three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, showed none of the fallibility that's plagued his postseason career.
He came in with a 9-11 record and 4.43 ERA in the playoffs. A year ago, he came on in relief of starter Walker Buehler against the Nationals, gave up back-to-back homers and was removed in Game 5 of the Division Series.
This time, he had his way with the beleaguered Brewers. He gave up singles to Jedd Gyorko, Luis Urias and Keston Hiura.
After leading the majors with 118 home runs this season, the Dodgers managed just one hit through four innings, a single by Austin Barnes, before breaking out in the fifth with a trio of singles.
Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor had back-to-back singles up the middle with one out. AJ Pollock grounded into a fielder's choice to third and Urias stepped on the bag to force Bellinger and fired to first. But Gyorko couldn't handle the throw in time to complete the double play.
Barnes singled with two outs to set up Betts, who doubled sharply down the third-base line. The ball rolled into the left-field corner, and two runs scored to chase Woodruff.
The Brewers never got above .500 all season and posted a losing record before eking into the expanded postseason as the No. 8 seed.
“Every time your season comes to an end, it's a bummer,” said Christian Yelich, who was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Sox future looking bright: The White Sox finally got back to October — and they liked it.
They are hoping for a longer stay as soon as next year.
The Sox's breakout season was stopped by a three-game loss in Oakland in the AL wild-card round. But it looks as if the Sox have a bright future after stopping a string of seven consecutive losing records with their first playoff appearance since 2008.
“It's just the start of something. I think it was good for us to get in,” shortstop Tim Anderson said. “Guys got a taste of it, and I think it's just going to make them more hungry to get back there.”
The 27-year-old Anderson leads a young core playing under teamfriendly deals, and Jose Abreu is one of the front-runners for AL MVP after driving in 60 runs during the pandemic-shortened season. Lucas Giolito, who pitched his first no-hitter in August, fronts the rotation, and the bullpen has promising options.
Extra innings: The name of the former baseball commissioner who never had a Black player in the majors during his long reign is being pulled off all future MVP plaques after more than 75 years. Kenesaw Mountain Landis won't be depicted on the annual awards presented by the Baseball Writers' Association of the America. The decision came after 89% of its membership voted this week for removal. ... Tigers GM Al Avila said the team is not ruling out the possibility of hiring A.J. Hinch or Alex Cora for a replacement for manager Ron Gardenhire. Hinch and Cora were suspended through the 2020 postseason for their roles in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. ... “Sweet” Lou Johnson, who hit a key home run for the victorious Dodgers in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series and scored the only run in Sandy Koufax's perfect game the same year, died at 86. Johnson died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to the Dodgers. He died a day after his birthday.