Clayton Kershaw is no fan of innovation. At least not this one.
“It’s not real baseball. But it’s fine for this year,” Kershaw said of the extra-innings rule which puts a free runner on second base to start the inning. “And I hope we never do it again.”
The rule will go away when the postseason starts — never to return? — but Kershaw’s contempt is not a product of results. The Dodgers have won five of their six extra-inning games after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 in 10 innings for the second consecutive night Wednesday at Chase Field.
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy tosses his bat away after he walked against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw rubs up a new baseball after giving up an RBI triple to Arizona Diamondbacks’ Tim Locastro, who stands next to Diamondbacks third base coach Tony Perezchica during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Enrique Hernandez, right, wearing Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente’s No. 21 on Roberto Clemente Day, celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Corey Seager (5) during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brusdar Graterol celebrates a double play against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Tim Locastro slides safely into third base with an RBI triple as Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy makes a catch on a late throw during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux (9) watches his throw to first base to complete a double play against Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker, after forcing out Nick Ahmed, while umpire Bill Miller, right, watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Tim Locastro #16 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is safe at first base while avoiding a tag by Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers who was pulled off of the base on a throwing error by Corey Seager #5 during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 09, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a first inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 09, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with third base coach Dino Ebel #91 after hitting a solo home run off Taylor Clarke #45 of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field on September 09, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Enrique Hernandez connects for a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run off Taylor Clarke #45 of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field on September 09, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Wyatt Mathisen surrounds a grounder before throwing to first base for the out on Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager out during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Enrique Hernandez, right, wearing Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente’s No. 21 on Roberto Clemente Day, celebrates his home run as he pauses near Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly at home plate during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Gavin Lux #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers drives in a run on a ground ball out during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 09, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. Max Muncy #13 scored on the play. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
With the win, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch their eighth consecutive NL West title fell to 12.
Kershaw’s mood might have been soured by his own outing. He gave up four runs in just five innings and remains 7-9 in his career at Chase Field, one of only two ballparks where he has lost more than he has won (he is also 1-2 in three starts at Wrigley Field).
Only three of the four runs Wednesday were earned, but his ERA at Chase Field is now 3.95. Kershaw has a higher ERA at just two other parks where he has made more than one start — Coors Field (4.60 in 22 starts) and PNC Park (3.98 in seven starts).
“Just not great,” Kershaw said of his night. “My fastball command was really bad tonight. And really the slider wasn’t that great either. I wasn’t getting a lot of swings and misses. A lot of foul balls. I need to work on those two things, for sure.”
Despite the self-flagellation, most of Kershaw’s troubles Wednesday weren’t his fault.
The Diamondbacks scored three times in the second inning. It started with a bunt single (against the shift) followed by another infield single when a ground ball hit third base. Kershaw walked Daulton Varsho to load the bases with no outs.
One run scored on a ground out and the next on a sacrifice fly. Kershaw’s costliest mistake of the inning was a 1-and-1 fastball to Tim Locastro, who split the left-center field gap for an RBI triple.
“As bad as I was, I really think the only ball they hit hard was that triple by Locastro,” Kershaw said. “I guess that’s somewhat encouraging overall even though it was pretty bad.”
The Dodgers covered that with solo home runs by Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernandez in the first two innings then took the lead with a two-run fourth. Hernandez had an RBI single for the 4-3 lead.
But Kershaw found himself in trouble again in the fifth when Corey Seager committed a throwing error on a ground ball by the speedy Locastro. Nick Ahmed followed with a double into the right-field corner that Betts first bobbled then threw wildly over home plate, Locastro scoring the tying run.
A four-time Gold Glove winner, Betts has made four errors in 41 games with the Dodgers this season, one short of matching his career-high from a full 162-game season.
After packing six hits (including those two home runs) and two walks into the first four innings, the Dodgers’ offense took a long nap. They had just one hit (an eighth-inning single by A.J. Pollock) from the fifth through ninth innings.
They came back to life long enough in the 10th to win the game. Seager started the inning as the free runner at second base. A wild pitch moved him to third and Chris Taylor singled him home with the go-ahead run. After a walk to Max Muncy, Pollock singled in a second run with his third hit of the night.
“I looked pretty bad on some offspeed pitches. I just really tried to stay back and get the bat on the ball,” Pollock said of the 10th inning at-bat against Hector Rondon.
“I was able to regroup. I did have some bad swings throughout the at-bat. … Just kind of stayed with my approach, not getting too jumpy.”
Kenley Jansen threw a season-high 31 pitches while giving up three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning Tuesday night. So it was Blake Treinen who closed out Wednesday’s win, handling the last of five one-hit scoreless innings by Dodgers relievers in Kershaw’s wake.
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