Clayton Kershaw lost his first game in three months as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied off the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday night at Chavez Ravine.
Kershaw (14-7) entered the game 9-0 with a 0.98 ERA in his last 13 starts and had not lost since June 27, but the Pirates proved to be too much for the NL MVP, as he allowed two or more runs for the first time since the last time he played the Bucs in Pittsburgh on Aug. 7.
"His last two starts against them are against guys that battle and you have to fight for every out," Mattingly said of the Pirates lineup. "That speaks to how good they are and how good he is."
Kershaw gave up a two-run double to Andrew McCutchen in the top of third inning, allowing a total of three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings on the night as his six-game home winning streak was snapped.
"You don't want to give up a two-run hit when you have two-strikes on a guy," Kershaw said of McCutchen's hit. "I don't know if frustrating is the right word. They're a good team with good hitters."
The Dodgers jumped out to an early lead thanks to second baseman Howie Kendrick, who bookmarked his six-week long journey on the disabled list when he returned to the lineup against the team he injured his hamstring against on Aug. 9 in Pittsburgh.
Kendrick hit an RBI single to opposite field, scoring Justin Ruggiano as the Dodgers gave their ace an early 1-0 lead. Ruggiano has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games.
Francisco Liriano would settle down after surrendering the early lead, retiring the next 16 straight Dodger batters allowing just two runs on five hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings.
"Everything felt great today," Liriano said. "I was able to throw everything for strikes and get batters looking."
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Liriano (11-7) matched Kershaw pitch-for-pitch, mixing his 95mph fastball with a filthy slider and knee-breaking changeup that had the Dodgers hitters looking at strike three on many occasion. The Pirates are now 14-1 in Liriano's last 15 starts.
"He was good. He was crisper, he got ahead in the count," Mattingly said of Liriano. "He's really hard to keep in the strike zone. His slider and changeup are really good."
A.J. Ellis hit a game-tying double with one-out in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Dodgers stranded the bases loaded when pinch-hitter Austin Barnes grounded into an inning-ending double play two batters later.
Kershaw ran out of gas in the top of the eighth inning after he allowed a leadoff double to Gregory Polanco. Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly immediately came out of the dugout to take the ball from Kershaw, opting instead for right-hander Chris Hatcher.
"I didn't do my job and it cost us the game," Kershaw said succinctly. "That sums it up."
Hatcher was unable to keep the game deadlocked, allowing an RBI double and two walks in his inning of relief.
With the Pirates back in the lead 3-2, the Bucs turned to MLB saves leader Mark Melancon who pitched a perfect ninth, recording his 47th save on the season, a new Pittsburgh single-season record.
Despite the loss, the Dodgers magic number to clinch their third consecutive NL West title was lowered to seven after the San Francisco Giants lost earlier in the day.
Game Notes:
Kershaw picked off two Pirates runners in the game, increasing his MLB-leading mark to 10 on the season.
Justin Turner left the game with knee soreness and his considered day-to-day.
