Clayton Kershaw, Rafael Furcal shine in Dodgers’ 3-2 win over Chicago
In the last week or so, there’s been a major change in the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
Miley Cyrus is out. M.I.A. is back in.
So when the Dodgers win, as they did by a 3-2 margin over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, “Paper Planes” blares over the locker room sound system. No more “Party in the U.S.A.”
“We went back to our old roots,” Clayton Kershaw said jokingly. “We went back to 2008. We needed a change.”
But for the two players who were most instrumental in the Dodgers’ latest victory, this season has been nothing like the seasons they had two years ago.
At this stage of the season of 2008, Kershaw was a 20-year-old rookie trying to discover the key to consistency. Rafael Furcal was less than a week removed from back surgery.
Thursday night, Kershaw had what was arguably one of the best starts of his career, striking out 12 and walking none over eight innings to improve to 9-4. The eight innings matched his career high.
Furcal had a game that was like so many he has played in recent weeks, as he reached base four times and lined a ball inside of the right-field foul pole for a two-run home run in the seventh inning that reversed a one-run deficit.
On the field and in the clubhouse, Kershaw demonstrated polish uncommon for a 22-year-old.
Asked what he said in his failed attempt to convince Manager Joe Torre to let him return to the mound for the ninth inning, Kershaw said, “I told him I was bound to get Byrd out one of these times.”
He was talking about Marlon Byrd, who got three hits off him.
Torre said he didn’t even entertain the idea of giving Kershaw the chance to pitch his first complete game. “It’s our job to keep him healthy,” said Torre, who sent in closer Jonathan Broxton to earn his 19th save.
Torre said he continues to be impressed by Kershaw’s progress.
“He’s learning every start,” Torre said. “That’s the best compliment I could pay the kid. He’s very special.”
Kershaw’s only missteps were a solo home run he gave up to Alfonso Soriano in the second inning and a run-scoring single to Geovany Soto in the fourth. Kershaw, who didn’t walk any batters for only the second time in his career, said he was pleased that no one was on base when Soriano took him deep to left field.
“Solo home runs you can deal with,” Kershaw said.
But Kershaw was quick to credit Furcal, who didn’t make the All-Star team to the dismay of many of his teammates. “I know he’s an All-Star in everybody in here’s mind,” Kershaw said.
Furcal doubled in the first inning and scored on a single by James Loney. He singled in the third inning and stole second. He was hit by a pitch in the fifth.
His home run turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.
“He makes such a big difference in our club,” Torre said. “He gives us a life. He gets on base early. He’ll steal a base. He’ll do a lot of things.”
In the 15 games Furcal has played since his father died — Furcal took a brief leave of absence to spend his final days with him — he is batting .429 with four home runs and 17 runs batted in. He has scored 19 runs and stolen five bases.
When was the last time he felt this locked in?
“I don’t remember,” Furcal said.
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