Instant Replay: Kershaw outduels Bumgarner, Dodgers win NL West

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SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy has spent much of this month flashing the same weary grin and responding to questions about the National League West race with the same three words: “You never know.”

The Giants now know.

There will be no repeat championship for a group that morphed into the Sacramento River Cats thanks to a crippling series of late-season injuries. The Giants pushed the chase onward as long as they could, but they were officially knocked out Tuesday. Madison Bumgarner gave up a career-high-tying three homers and didn’t make it out of the sixth inning of a season-ending 8-0 loss at AT&T Park. Clayton Kershaw spent three hours rubbing salt in the wound, pitching a one-hitter and striking out 13.

Bumgarner had no margin for error with Kershaw, and this one went off the rails early. 

Kiké Hernandez singled to lead off the game, but Bumgarner got a perfect double-play grounder to second a batter later. Kelby Tomlinson booted it, and all of a sudden the Dodgers had runners on the corners. A walk of Adrian Gonzalez loaded the bases, but Bumgarner allowed just one run to come across. Still, the error forced Bumgarner to throw 26 pitches to get out of the first. 

Hernandez is best known for dressing as a banana during Dodgers rallies, but he’s a talented young utility player and he showed off his pop with a solo blast to deep left in the third. 

Given an early lead, Kershaw hardly broke a sweat. He allowed just one hit through the first four innings, getting 12 outs on just 45 pitches. Kershaw is flirting with a 300-strikeout season and he busted out the good stuff in the fifth. Brandon Crawford struck out on a 95 mph fastball, Mac Williamson went down on an 89 mph slider, and Kevin Frandsen swung through a 90 mph slider.

Kershaw was just as tough at the plate, fouling off seven pitches during a long battle with his counterpart that ultimately led to a groundout but had Bumgarner screaming in frustration when it was over. The 13-pitch at-bat was the longest of Kershaw’s career and the longest by a pitcher this season. An two-out error by Brandon Crawford kept Bumgarner on the mound, and he was at 100 pitches when the fifth was over. He wouldn’t make it out of the sixth.

Justin Ruggiano ambushed a slow curveball with two down in the sixth and hit a no-doubter to left. The very next pitch was crushed by A.J. Ellis. Bruce Bochy came out to pull Bumgarner, meaning the ace’s spectacular season very likely ended on back-to-back homers. 

Now holding a four-run lead, Kershaw extended his strikeout streak to six consecutive batters by whiffing the side in the sixth. He struck out the side again in the eighth. In two starts against the Giants this month, Kershaw pitched 18 innings, gave up one run and struck out 28.

Starting pitching report: Bochy has been noncommittal when asked if Bumgarner will start the season’s final game, but with the race over and Bumgarner no longer chasing 20 wins, there’s really no reason to waste any bullets. Bumgarner threw just 5 2/3 innings Tuesday but that was enough to get him to 218 1/3 for the season, a career-high. The lefty has thrown an astounding 488 1/3 innings the past two seasons. 

Bullpen report: Cory Gearrin pitched well as the first man out of the bullpen, retiring all four batters he faced. Jeremy Affeldt was next and he didn’t record an out, giving up three straight singles before giving way to Mike Broadway, who put the game out of reach.

At the plate: Kevin Frandsen’s third-inning single kept Kershaw from chasing a no-hitter in a division-clincher. 

In the field: Mac Williamson made a diving catch in left field. It was just about the only highlight for the Giants.

Attendance: The Giants announced a crowd of 41,862 human beings, many of whom streamed for the exits before the Dodgers had a chance to celebrate. 

Up next: Technically, Mike Leake vs. Mike Bolsinger, but Wednesday will be more about “who won’t pitch” than who will. Will Tim Hudson start on Thursday as planned? Will Bumgarner and Jake Peavy expend any more energy now that the race is over? Bochy planned to meet with Dave Righetti to shuffle things once it became necessary.

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