Field Level Media
Apr 25, 2018
Trevor Richards struck out 10 in 4 2/3 innings and outdueled Clayton Kershaw while starting the visiting Miami Marlins on their way to an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.
J.T. Realmuto added a pair of home runs, giving him a hit in all 19 of his games played against the Dodgers, the longest streak against the franchise to start a career since at least 1900.
Kershaw (1-4) walked six to tie a career high, last doing that in April 2010, and gave up a three-run home run to former teammate Miguel Rojas. The left-hander lasted just five innings, giving up five hits while striking out seven.
Richards, who said he was on his first-ever trip to the West Coast, made it a memorable one by giving up just one hit. He did not get the required 15 outs to qualify for the victory in his fifth career start, getting pulled after throwing 31 pitches in the fifth inning alone.
The Marlins twice had Kershaw on the ropes, loading the bases in the second and fourth innings, but did not score.
Kershaw was nearly out of trouble again in the fifth before Rojas crushed his home run off the foul pole in left field. Kershaw had walked Justin Bour and Cameron Maybin with two outs to extend the inning. It was Rojas' third home run of the season.
It was the first time the Marlins won back-to-back games this season. They also won their first series of the season in eight tries.
Rojas has witnessed Kershaw enjoying better days at Dodger Stadium. He was Los Angeles' starting third baseman on June 18, 2014, the day Kershaw pitched his only no-hitter. Rojas had three RBIs that day and delivered a solid defensive play behind the third-base bag that preserved the gem.
Rojas reached base all three times he faced Kershaw on Wednesday, adding a second-inning walk and a fourth-inning single.
The Dodgers got a run in the sixth inning when Joc Pederson delivered an RBI single off Merandy Gonzalez. Matt Kemp hit a two-run home run for the Dodgers in the eighth, his fourth, and Yasmani Grandal added a two-run shot in the ninth, his fourth.
Gonzalez (1-0) gave up three runs on five hits in three innings of relief to pick up his first career victory.
The Marlins scored two runs off Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning, but both were unearned after throwing errors from both Corey Seager and Chase Utley, as well as a misplay on a popup by Seager when he slipped on the outfield grass.
--Field Level Media