Kershaw, Lester combine to allow 10 runs in disappointing duel
So much for that.
Sunday was supposed to be an epic showdown between two of this generation's best left-handers in Clayton Kershaw and Jon Lester, at one of baseball's grand cathedrals in Chavez Ravine. But that highly anticipated pitcher's duel turned into a sloppy slugfest between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers that saw both southpaws fail to pitch the minimum five innings while both offenses went to work.
By the time both pitchers had completed their miserable afternoons, Kershaw and Lester had combined to allow 10 earned runs on 18 hits, and the Dodgers held a narrow 6-4 lead.
For Kershaw, who came into the game just 10 strikeouts shy of 2,000 career Ks, Sunday represented one of the worst outings of his remarkable 10-year career. In just 4 1/3 innings pitched, the 29-year-old was rocked for four earned runs on 11 hits, and allowed three home runs for only the fourth time ever (and the second time this year). Anthony Rizzo's fourth-inning blast - the second of two Cubs homers in the frame - left Dodger Stadium at 108.7 mph, the hardest-hit homer off Kershaw this season, according to Statcast and MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
Anthony Rizzo hammers a two-run home run to right field in the top of the 4th inning, bringing the Cubs within two!!! #ThatsCub pic.twitter.com/6Bn7ersXv8
— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) May 28, 2017
Kershaw had only allowed 10 or more hits in a game four times prior to Sunday; in all but one of those previous 10-plus hit outings, he still managed to complete five innings pitched. The 11 hits allowed tied his career high, last set in 2013 at Colorado.
This is the first time Clayton Kershaw has allowed at least 10 hits, four earned runs and three home runs, regular season or postseason.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) May 28, 2017
The poor performance bumped Kershaw's season ERA from 2.01 to 2.37, while his National League-leading 0.82 WHIP jumped up to 0.95. Kershaw did, however, strike out six Cubs hitters, all but ensuring he'll notch strikeout No. 2,000 in his next start.
Lester, meanwhile, lasted just 3 1/3 innings and was torched for six runs on seven hits, including a pair of long three-run homers allowed to Enrique Hernandez and red-hot rookie Cody Bellinger. Manager Joe Maddon was forced to lift Lester for Mike Montgomery after he allowed a pair of baserunners to open the fourth inning.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, the 33-year-old Lester came into Sunday's game having surrendered just one three-run homer since joining the Cubs as a free agent in 2015. It was also just the fifth time that Lester has allowed six or more earned runs in a start as a Cub.
The Dodgers ultimately completed a series sweep of the Cubs with a 9-4 victory.