Clayton Kershaw isn't sharp, but Dodgers still beat Braves 4-0

LOS ANGELES – This Bud's for you.

Bud Norris nearly outpitched Clayton Kershaw despite not starting since April, but the Los Angeles Dodgers held on to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Saturday night for their sixth win in a row at Dodger Stadium.

Norris (1-7) entered the game with a 6.39 ERA dating back to 2015 and had not started since April 27^th when he was tagged for six runs in just 1 and 1/3 innings.

"Great start by Bud," said Braves manager Brian Snitker of his starter. "He said 'I'll give you all the bullets I have,' and he used all of them and then some. Really great start by Bud."

Despite the long layover between starts, Norris nearly outpitched three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, as he was the tough-luck loser, allowing one run on just three hits with two strikeouts in five innings.

"He's been through the wars and he wanted to go out there," Snitker continued. "He was just really good tonight."

The Dodgers scored their first run of the game on a crazy play in the third inning. Kershaw reached base on an infield single to short, and scored three batters later, when Justin Turner snapped an 0-15 skid with a single up the gap to centerfield. 

"Justin is a guy I believe in," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "For him to get that big hit for us was good for him and his confidence."

Kershaw (8-1) was waved home by third base coach Chris Woodward, and would have likely been thrown out at the plate by Ender Inciarte, but Corey Seager went from first to third on the play and the centerfield opted to make the closer throw to third base. 

"I thought Inciarte had a better chance at home," Roberts said of the game's first run. "Concievably it could have played out worse, but I applaud the effort by Corey."

Seager snuck under the tag at third, shortly before Kershaw crossed the plate, and had he been tagged out, the run would not have counted. Thankfully, Seager was ruled safe and the Dodgers led 1-0.

Despite an off night, one-run of support was all that the former-MVP would need as he allowed no runs on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk in six innings—his shortest start of the season.

"The ball wasn't coming out very good today. It was one of those days where it was just a grind," Kershaw said of his start. "I was thankful to make it through six. I definitely caught some breaks today."

The Dodgers tacked on a few insurance runs off the Braves bullpen in the bottom of the eighth. Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal had RBI singles as LA opened up a commanding lead for closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth.

"I think that was the first time in my life I've ever done a safety squeeze," Pederson said of his RBI single. "It was pretty cool. I think everyone was more excited I got the bunt down than the hit itself."

Los Angeles is one of the worst teams in baseball with just 16 steals on the season, but the boys in blue snagged five bases tonight, the most since April 13, 2014. 

"This was a lot of fun," Roberts said. "There's a lot of good things starting to happen here."

Trayce Thompson had three of those steals, and recorded a career high in walks (3) and stolen bases (3). He is the first Dodger player with three walks and three steals in a game since his manager Dave Roberts did it on April 9, 2004.

"I feel like that's a part of my game I can work at and be better at," Thompson said of his stolen bases. "I'm just doing whatever I can to help the team win."

Players of the Game:

Justin Turner: 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Clayton Kershaw: 0 runs on 3 hits with 4 strikeouts in 6 IP.
Joc Pederson: 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Three Takeaways:

1. Buddy Beam Ball: Clayton Kershaw led off the sixth inning by hitting opposing pitcher, Bud Norris, with a 92 MPH fastball. It was the first time in Kershaw's career that he plunked the opposing pitcher in a game. "I just didn't have a great feel for the ball," Kershaw said. "I would have been mad if I were him too."

Clayton Kershaw just hit the opposing pitcher with a pitch for the first time in his career (469 plate appearances). — Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) June 5, 2016

2. Short but Sweet: Clayton Kershaw failed to reach the seventh inning for the first time this season as he was pulled after 96 pitches in the sixth inning, leading 1-0.

This is the first time this season that Clayton Kershaw failed to complete 7 innings. — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 5, 2016

3. Who's on First? The Braves and Dodgers were involved in a bizarre play in the top of the seventh inning. Nick Markakis led off the inning with a single to centerfield, and two batters later, Adonis Garcia lined out to Joc Pederson in centerfield. Replay showed that Pederson caught the ball, but umpires ruled it a trap and Markakis was out at second via 8-3-6 fielder's choice. All scorers including MLB.com and ESPN.com, had Markakis still on first, but it was actually Garcia who was there as the Dodgers did not challenge the play. Garcia then stole second, with Gameday thinking it was Markakis. "I caught the ball, and I thought I could back door him," Pederson said of the play. "I'm still confused and I really don't know what happened."

Gameday thinks Markakis is the one who stole second base. https://t.co/XHlZcIdRlL — Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) June 5, 2016

Up Next:
Braves (16-39): Matt Wisler takes the mound on Sunday for Atlanta as they look to avoid the LA sweep.

Dodgers (30-27): Scott Kazmir gets the start on Sunday at 1:10 PM PST as LA looks to make it three in a row at home.

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