{"id":49238,"date":"2025-05-18T08:09:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T08:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=49238"},"modified":"2025-05-18T08:09:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T08:09:12","slug":"clayton-kershaw-shaky-in-return-dodgers-fall-to-angels-in-high-scoring-affair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=49238","title":{"rendered":"Clayton Kershaw shaky in return, Dodgers fall to Angels in high-scoring affair"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saturday\u2019s back-and-forth affair was decided by the bullpens, and a five-run seventh proved the difference for the Halos. Kirby Yates left with right hamstring tightness.<\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES \u2014 Clayton Kershaw was shaky in the first start of his 18th season, but he wasn\u2019t alone in giving up runs on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Five runs in the seventh inning tilted this back-and-forth affair the Angels\u2019 way in an 11-9 win over the\u00a0Dodgers.<\/p>\n

Ben Casparius had already pitched two scoreless innings in relief when he allowed two doubles to open the seventh before getting a strikeout. Kirby Yates allowed a single, home run, and double to his first three batters, then after a walk two batters later left the game with right hamstring tightness.<\/p>\n

Manager Dave Roberts said after the game Yates will likely be placed on the injured list, but that they will wait to see the results of imaging on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Luis Garc\u00eda allowed an RBI single and walk before getting the final out of the interminable inning.<\/p>\n

Those three Dodgers pitchers combined to throw 51 pitches in the Angels\u2019 five-run seventh inning, which erased a two-run Dodgers lead.<\/p>\n

Welcome back<\/h4>\n

Kershaw\u2019s command problems came early, walking two in a row in the first inning after a one-out single. A two-run single by Logan O\u2019Hoppe and RBI double by Matthew Lugo completed the scoring in a 38-pitch top of the first inning.<\/p>\n

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