Stephen Strasburg Outduels Clayton Kershaw as Nationals Take Game 2 over Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Washington Nationals 6-0 in Thursday's Game 1 of the National League Division Series, but the Nats rebounded with a 4-2 Game 2 win Friday night at Dodger Stadium to level the series.

Just as L.A. gained a 1-0 series lead behind dominant starting pitcher Walker Buehler, Washington rode Stephen Strasburg's coattails. 

The Nationals gave Strasburg a lead to work with right away when second baseman Howie Kendrick hit a bases-loaded single to score Trea Turner in the top of the first. In the second frame, an Adam Eaton RBI single followed by an Anthony Rendon RBI double to put Washington up 3-0. 

The Dodgers got on the board through Justin Turner's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth, but that was the extent of L.A.'s offensive success against Strasburg. Max Muncy cut Washington's lead to 3-2 with a solo home run off reliever Sean Doolittle in the seventh.

Pinch hitter Asdrubal Cabrera tacked on an insurance run for the Nats in the eighth with a single off rookie Dustin May.

Notable Performances

Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 4 K, 1 BB

Dodgers 3B Justin Turner: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Dodgers 1B Max Muncy: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Dodgers CF Cody Bellinger: 0-for-4

Nationals SP Stephen Strasburg: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 10 K

Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Nationals RF Adam Eaton: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Nationals 2B Howie Kendrick: 1-for-5, 1 RBI

Nationals SS Trea Turner: 2-for-5

Stephen Strasburg Maintains Postseason Dominance

Stephen Strasburg entered his 2019 postseason debut with dominant career numbers:

And he left it having joined legendary company:

The 31-year-old was in tiptop form throughout the regular season too, leading the NL with 18 wins and 209 innings pitched with a 3.32 ERA. According to The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli, Strasburg threw 100 pitches or more in 21 of his 33 starts, averaging approximately 103 pitches per start.

The right-hander was once drowning in speculation about his viability post-Tommy John, but his heavy usage rate didn't inhibit him Friday night.

What could be a problem is the Washington bullpen. It ended the regular season with a league-worst 5.66 ERA. Ace Max Scherzer, who started the NL Wild Card Game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, came in to toss the eighth:

Shutdown starting pitching is a sustainable recipe for success. However, having to use prolific starting pitchers in relief is not.

That was made even more obvious when Daniel Hudson took over in the ninth to close and narrowly wiggled out of a bases-loaded situation that easily could have cost the Nationals the game.

Clayton Kershaw Can't Shake Postseason Narrative

Clayton Kershaw has more or less been MLB's Jekyll and Hyde, and his so-so performance in Game 2 will—rightly or wrongly—only stoke the fires on the perception that he is a lesser pitcher once fall ball begins.

Entering Friday's start, the three-time Cy Young Award winner held a 9-10 record and 4.32 ERA in 15 career postseason series. 

Against the Nationals, Kershaw needed 26 pitches to get out of the opening frame. But after allowing three earned runs through two innings, the 31-year-old retired Washington in the third and fourth innings before facing just four batters apiece in the fifth and sixth. 

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez added context: 

Realistically, Kershaw isn't the reason L.A. lost Friday night. Strasburg is. Kershaw pitched fine, while Strasburg pitched phenomenally. Additionally, Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger led MLB in wins above replacement during the regular season with 9.0. He went 0-for-4.

But Kershaw's track record will cause his postseason narrative to linger. 

The good news for the Dodgers is that they don't have to live and die by Kershaw, though he remains the club's ace. Buehler is emerging as a clutch postseason pitcher, second only to Sandy Koufax with 37 strikeouts through five playoff starts, while Hyun-Jin Ryu led MLB with a 2.32 ERA this year.

Game 3 of the NLDS moves to Nationals Park in D.C. and begins Sunday at 7:45 p.m. ET.