Polanco Ends Kershaw’s Scoreless Streak on First Pitch Home Run

They might have, if Pedro Alvarez had not roped a line drive over the head of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-4 win on Friday.

It wasn’t quite the pitching duel we expected with Clayton Kershaw and Gerrit Cole on the mound, but what we got was a close and at times sloppy game between two potential playoff teams in a postseason-type atmosphere in Pittsburgh.

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw had his streak of 37 consecutive scoreless innings finish when Pirates rightfielder Gregory Polanco hit his first pitch of the sport for a house run. Kershaw kept his streak going with eight innings against the Angels with no runs and he has turned it around after a slow start to the season.

Kershaw, who had won his previous four starts, gave up nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Three consecutive singles – including one off Kershaw’s foot – loaded the bases with no outs. The Pirates nudged ahead in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Andrew McCutchen and an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez. But first baseman Michael Morse couldn’t quite keep his foot on the bag when stretching to receive the throw.

This is the second time this season that Kershaw has had an inning streak this long without allowing a run and he is really looking strong as of late.

Both starting pitchers left after six innings.

Howie Kendrick had two hits, including a two-run infield single on which Rollins sprinted home from second base to put the Dodgers up 2-1 in the third. Liriano pitched his way out of several jams in beating Minnesota10-4 with three runs given up on ten hits in 5.2 innings. He stole second and Rollins doubled him in to tie the score at 4.

With Cole out of the game after 91 pitches in his six innings, the Dodgers rally in the seventh began in the least intimidating way possible, with Carl Crawford reaching with two outs on catchers interference.

Kershaw had not allowed a run since July 5, against the New York Mets. Over his last four starts heading into Friday, Kershaw pitched 34 scoreless innings with 45 strikeouts and three walks. Ar.Ramirez infield single to second, McCutchen to second. More impressively, it was only the third home run hit by a left-handed batter of the reigning MVP.

The Dodgers pushed right back again in the fifth, as Starling Marte couldn’t make a diving catch and Rollins got an RBI single for a 3-2 Los Angeles lead.