A Calculated Risk

Pitching Clayton Kershaw on three days was a calculated risk by the Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly. Kershaw had thrown 124 pitches in his Game One win. He did not want the series to go back to Atlanta and Kershaw wanted the ball. He pitched well enough to win (2 unearned runs in six innings with six strikeouts) but he got them deep into the game without having to go too deep into their bullpen. Kershaw only gave up one earned run in 13 innings with 18 strikeouts against the Braves with an ERA of 0.69. The comparisons to Sandy Koufax have been inevitable throughout Kershaw's young career and their is a great pic of Kershaw and koufax embracing in the locker room after the game. Koufax has become a mentor to Kershaw over the past couple of seasons and the friendship has really paid off for the Dodgers.