The expected pitcher’s duel between Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw turned into the Kiké Hernandez show as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ utility man hit a pair of solo home runs and a two-run double off the San Francisco Giants’ ace.
The Dodgers went on to defeat their longtime rival, 7-3, extending their winning streak to three games. After Friday night’s game was a rematch of a pitching matchup from last week, Saturday brings the same with Johnny Cueto and Scott Kazmir taking the mound.
Los Angeles jumped on Cueto in the first inning of his April 10 start, spotting Kazmir a 5-0 lead. However, Cueto rebounded to hold the Dodgers to one run over the next six innings, finishing with eight strikeouts and earning a win.
Kazmir allowed the Giants to mount a two-out rally in the bottom of the first, which cut the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2. The southpaw then gave up home runs to Buster Posey and Brandon Belt in the third inning, with the latter tying the game.
Kazmir then gave up another game-tying home in the fourth, with Angel Pagan leading off the inning with a solo shot. It marked the ninth time in Kazmir’s career he’s allowed at least three home runs in a game; doing so in 2006, 2008 (four home runs, twice), 2010 (three times), 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Kazmir’s final line read four innings pitched, seven hits, six earned runs and four strikeouts. Through two starts this season, he’s 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA, 5.86 FIP, 0.90 WHIP over 10 innings pitched. Kazmir is a career 1-1 and owns a 4.32 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in three starts against the Giants.
Cueto this season is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA, 2.08 FIP and 1.29 WHIP. He’s yet to allow a home run in 14 innings pitched, and has 12 strikeouts to two walks. Cueto lifetime is 1-4 with a 3.49 ERA in five starts at Dodger Stadium, last pitching there in 2014.
Yasiel Puig gets his first night off of the season and with that, Trayce Thompson receives another start. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke highly of Thompson on Friday, and indicated the versatile outfielder wouldn’t be limited to only starting when a left-hander is on the mound.
Joc Pederson (center field) and Kiké Hernandez (left) round out the Dodgers’ outfield. Elsewhere, Yasmani Grandal makes the first of what’s expected to be consecutive starts behind the plate.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
LF: Kiké Hernandez
CF: Joc Pederson
RF: Trayce Thompson
P: Scott Kazmir
Giants lineup:
CF: Denard Span
2B: Joe Panik
C: Buster Posey
RF: Hunter Pence
1B: Brandon Belt
3B: Matt Duffy
SS: Brandon Crawford
P: Johnny Cueto
LF: Angel Pagan
