|
 "For him to be able to break that barrier and not only have an
impact on baseball but throughout the world is pretty special," the
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder said. "Who knows what could have
happened? I might not be here if it wasn't for him."
Hernandez had a special game Friday on Jackie Robinson Day, hitting
two home runs and driving in four runs off San Francisco ace Madison
Bumgarner to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw to a
7-3 victory, handing the Giants their third consecutive defeat.
Hernandez homered to center on the first pitch Bumgarner (1-1)
threw, and added a second solo shot in the third, this time to left,
that broke a 1-1 tie. It was his first leadoff homer and his first
multi-homer game of his career.
In the fourth, Hernandez came up against Bumgarner with the bases
loaded and doubled inside third base, giving Los Angeles a 6-1 lead.
As is Major League Baseball's tradition, April 15 commemorates the
anniversary of Robinson playing in his first game or Brooklyn, and
all players wear Robinson's No. 42.
 "It's pretty cool to be able to have the game that I had on a night
like this," Hernandez said. "I just wish I could wear No. 42 more
often."
Hernandez wasn't the only Dodger to succeed off Bumgarner, who
lasted just five-plus innings in giving up seven runs (four earned)
and eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. Shortstop Charlie
Culberson drove in three runs. He singled in two as part of Los
Angeles' four-run fourth and singled in A.J. Ellis in the sixth for
a 7-3 lead.
"He made a few mistakes, far more than usual," Giants manager Bruce
Bochy said of his pitcher.
His team also let down Bumgarner with three errors leading to three
unearned runs.
"We didn't play a clean game. That would have helped matters," Bochy
said. "We weren't quite as sharp as normal."
Bumgarner helped himself offensively, by scoring the Giants' first
run, in the third inning. Batting eighth, he singled with one out,
took second on an error, went to third on a single and scored on a
Kershaw wild pitch.
Kershaw (2-0) struck out six and gave up five hits and two earned
runs in seven innings, striking out six and walking one. But he
threw two wild pitches in a game for the fourth time in his career,
and it led to two San Francisco runs. In addition to Bumgarner
scoring on one, Angel Pagan came home in the sixth, which made the
score 6-2. Hunter Pence followed with an RBI single for a 6-3 game.
Kershaw blamed the wild pitches on "bad pitches." He said he's still
fighting consistency.
"Overall, I still have a lot to get better at it. The consistency --
I want to throw a good (game) every time," he said. "I'm not there
right now."
He didn't need to be his best on this night, not with Hernandez,
Culberson and the shaky San Francisco defense providing all the help
he needed.
[to top of second column] |
Chris Hatcher pitched a scoreless eighth with a strikeout, and Joe
Blanton threw a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts.
Cory Gearrin pitched a scoreless sixth for the Giants, Derek Law
made his major league debut by striking out the side in the seventh
with one hit, and George Kontos pitched a scoreless eighth with a
walk and a strikeout.
The Dodgers broke open a 2-1 game by batting around in the fourth
and scoring four times off Bumgarner, although only one run was
earned.
Justin Turner led off with a walk and Howie Kendrick singled. After
a strikeout, Ellis grounded to short but Kelby Tomlinson bobbled the
ball and the bases were loaded.
Culberson drove in two with a single to right. Kershaw grounded to
second, and Joe Panik failed to make a clean throw to second to try
to get Culberson, loading the bases.
Up stepped Hernandez, who doubled just inside third base to drive in
Ellis and Culberson.
NOTES: This was the ninth time Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw
have faced off with Kershaw is 3-4 with a 2.18 ERA and Bumgarner 4-3
with a 2.87 ERA. ... Friday was the seventh anniversary of Kershaw
striking out 13 batters. At 21 years, 27 days, he was the youngest
pitcher to ever strike out that many. ... Justin Turner returned to
the Dodger lineup after sustaining a left-hand injury Wednesday
against Arizona. He went 1-for-three with a triple off Derek Law...
Buster Posey faced Clayton Kershaw 75 times entering the game, more
than any other pitcher. He had a .228 batting average to show for
it. ...The Dodgers are now 10-3 on Jackie Robinson Day. ... The
Giants placed INF Ehire Adrianza and RHP Sergio Romo on the disabled
list. Adrianza has a fractured left foot and Romo a strained flexor
tendon. The Giants called up rookie RHP Derek Law and second-year OF
Mac Williamson. Both got into the game Friday: Law pitched an inning
and struck out the side and Williamson grounded out as a pinch
hitter. ... The Dodgers took RHP Chris Hatcher off the paternity
list and optioned INF/C Austin Barnes to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
