LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw went toe-to-toe for six innings in a vintage duel Friday night between the two most recent members of the 3,000-strikeout club.
The 41-year-old Scherzer, pitching for Toronto, made his 465th career start. Kershaw, 37, started his 443rd game — all for the Los Angeles Dodgers over 18 seasons.
Both have won three Cy Young Awards and are likely headed to the Hall of Fame.
“Two great competitors,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I don’t know if you’re going to see this one again.”
Kershaw allowed one run and seven hits. He struck out four and walked one on 74 pitches, 54 strikes.
Scherzer gave up two runs and six hits. He struck out five and walked three on 98 pitches, 63 strikes.
Kershaw exited with the Dodgers leading 2-1, thanks to a two-run homer by Mookie Betts in the fifth.
The left-hander was a model of efficiency in the first inning, retiring the Blue Jays on 11 pitches.
Los Angeles went right after Scherzer in the bottom half. Shohei Ohtani and Betts hit consecutive line-drive singles before Davis Schneider robbed Will Smith of a potential three-run homer with a catch against the Dodgers bullpen gate in left field. Scherzer walked Max Muncy to load the bases before striking out Teoscar Hernández to end the inning.
Scherzer retired the side in the second and third. Kershaw had traffic on the bases in the second, when Addison Barger's two-strike single scored Bo Bichette and gave Toronto a 1-0 lead.
With a runner at first, Dodgers rookie second baseman Alex Freeland raced into shallow right field to catch a blooper by Ernie Clement for the third out of the fifth. A relieved Kershaw smiled and pointed his index finger skyward.
It's the fourth time Scherzer and Kershaw have opposed each other. The first time was unexpected. Hall of Famers Randy Johnson of Arizona and Greg Maddux of the Dodgers were scratched on Sept. 7, 2008. Their replacements were rookies Scherzer, then 24, and Kershaw, then 20, who each got a no-decision.
Scherzer and Kershaw pitched against each other twice more, with each getting a win.
Roberts managed Scherzer when the Dodgers traded for him in the second half of the 2021 season, when he notched his 3,000th strikeout. Having Kershaw already in the fold helped prepare Roberts.
“Those guys are in very rare company, and when you have an opportunity to manage people like that and superstars, it does help you understand how they think, what makes them tick," he said.
Unlike Kershaw, Scherzer likes to talk “all the time,” Roberts said.
“He’s got a lot of answers, but they’re valid answers because he’s always thinking the game,” Roberts said. "He’ll talk to hitters, get in hitters' meetings. He’s always trying to pick people’s brains to get some type of edge, which as a coach, that’s a good thing.”
Kershaw became the 20th member of the 3,000-strikeout club in July at Dodger Stadium.
Both pitchers are known for being extremely competitive. Where they differ is Scherzer is more demonstrative than Kershaw.
Roberts recalled the reaction he got for patting Scherzer on his rear end in the middle of a game in 2021.
“I heard a curse word after I did it,” he said. “That's pretty intense.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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