Kershaw goes 1 inning in shortest start, Cubs top Dodgers

CHICAGO — — Clayton Kershaw lasted just one inning in the shortest start of his stellar career while Kyle Hendricks pitched a complete game for the Chicago Cubs in a 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in the opener of a split doubleheader.

Exactly 11 years after he went just 1 1/3 innings against Milwaukee in what was his shortest start, Kershaw (4-3) didn’t last long in this one.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner gave up four runs and four hits, including an RBI single by Anthony Rizzo and three-run double by David Bote. He faced nine batters in a 39-pitch inning as his ERA rose from 2.09 to 2.95. The Dodgers lost for the seventh time in nine games.

“It wasn’t good,” Kershaw said. “There’s really nothing you can do at this point. It’s embarrassing. No excuses. I was horrible. I just put our team in a really bad spot with a doubleheader.”

Manager Dave Roberts called it “an outlier of an outing” and said Kershaw was “fine, health-wise.”

Hendricks (2-3) went seven innings in his sixth career complete game and the longest outing for the Cubs this season. He gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked one while lowering his ERA from 7.54 to 6.07.

Hendricks did not allow a run until pinch-hitter Keibert Ruiz homered with one out in the seventh.

The Cubs, who had lost seven of nine, coasted despite shortstop Javier Báez making three errors. Jake Marisnick homered for Chicago.

Kershaw hadn’t allowed four or more runs in an inning of a regular-season game since a four-run sixth against Philadelphia on Sept. 18, 2017. The only other time he allowed four or more in a first inning was on Aug. 28, 2008, when he got tagged for five at Washington.

Kershaw gave up a one-out double to Kris Bryant, and things unraveled for him from there.

Rizzo followed with an RBI single. Báez walked and Matt Duffy singled to load the bases before Bote drove a three-run double off the wall in left-center to make it 4-0.

“We’ve been putting together great at-bats,” Hendricks said. “Our guys have been battling. We’ve been in a good mindset and to go out and do that off him early was huge, the kind of pitcher he is.”

TRANSACTIONS

The Dodgers called up Luke Raley to serve as the 27th player for the second game, while the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Kohl Stewart from Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Roberts said an MRI on RHP Brusdar Graterol (right forearm tightness) showed no structural damage. “I don’t know when he’ll pick up a baseball and play catch,” he said. “Just want to make sure the soreness, the uncomfortableness of the arm, dissipates. But the findings — or lack thereof — was good news.”

Cubs: The Chicago Cubs placed former NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta on the 10-day injured list because of an abrasion on his right thumb. They also placed 2B Nico Hoerner (strained left forearm) and reliever Dan Winkler (right triceps tendinitis) on the IL, recalled left-handed pitcher Kyle Ryan and right-hander Keegan Thompson and selected INF Ildemaro Vargas from Triple-A Iowa. … Manager David Ross said OF Ian Happ (bruised ribs), taken from the field in a cart following a collision with Hoerner during Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati, was improving though still “super sore” and considered day to day. He added that tests showed Happ did not suffer a concussion.

UP NEXT

RHP Trevor Bauer (3-1, 2.48 ERA) gets the ball for Los Angeles in Game 2, while Thompson (0-0, 0.00) makes his first career start for Chicago.

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