Familiar Dodgers Bullpen Woes Result In Loss To White Sox

Clayton Kershaw has routinely stated solo home runs will not lead to a loss, which held partially true Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 8-4 to the Chicago White Sox. Kershaw did not factor into the decision.

He was coming off back-to-back strong performances after struggling throughout most of May, and his outing against the White Sox landed in the middle.

Jake Burger broke up the early scoreless tie with a solo home run, and Luis Robert Jr. extended the White Sox’s lead to 2-0 in the third with a long ball of his own.

Robert’s was the first home run Kershaw allowed on his curveball since giving up one to Ha-Seong Kim on June 22, 2021. That also increased Kershaw’s season total to 12 homers this season, which is two more than he allowed in 2022.

Despite not being particularly sharp, Kershaw held the White Sox to just the two runs over six innings. Kershaw helped himself in the fourth by coming off the mound to make a sliding play and throw that ended the inning and prevented a run from scoring.

Kershaw retired the side in order just once, in the fifth inning.

Rally against Joe Kelly

Mike Clevinger held the Dodgers to just three hits and issued two walks while collecting five strikeouts before coming out of the game during the middle of an at-bat in the fifth inning. The White Sox announced Clevinger’s injury was right biceps soreness and he would be re-evaluated Thursday.

Clevinger exited with runners at the corners, who were stranded when Gregory Santos needed just one pitch to strike out J.D. Martinez.

Santos didn’t fare nearly as well in the sixth inning as he gave up three consecutive base hits. A relay throw to home plate on Jason Heyward’s single got by Yasmani Grandal, which allowed David Peralta to scamper home.

Aaron Bummer then replaced Santos, only to walk Miguel Vargas to load the bases. Austin Barnes’ chopper brought in the game-tying run when the White Sox failed to get a force out at second base.

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol appeared to signal to first-base umpire Jacob Metz he wanted to challenge the call. His request was either not seen or deemed to have been past the timeframe to challenge, which angered Grifol and he was ejected after a spirited argument with home-plate umpire Pat Hoberg.

Joe Kelly was next to appear, entering to loud cheers from Dodgers fans who grew attached to the right-hander during his time with the team. Kelly heard Dodger Stadium erupt even more when Mookie Betts fought off a pitch for a go-ahead, two-run single.

Dodgers bullpen

The much-maligned group of relief pitchers endured another rough game after Yency Almonte retired the side in order in the seventh inning. Almonte remained in the game to start the eighth and promptly gave up a double followed by Burger hitting his second home run of the night.

Alex Vesia replaced Almonte and promptly hit Andrew Benintendi, who then advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored what held as the winning run on Clint Frazier’s single.

The White Sox wound up creating more separation with a three-run ninth inning.