Angels spoil Clayton Kershaw’s season debut in 11-9 victory over Dodgers

By Canadian Press on May 17, 2025.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Logan O’Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Mathew Lugo homered and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw’s season debut, beating the Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series.

Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited him to seven games last season with multiple procedures delaying his 2025 debut.

O’Hoppe had two hits with a career-high five RBIs.

Reid Detmers (1-2) allowed a run in two innings, and Kenley Jansen had a four-out save against his former club, his eighth.

Enrique Hernandez and Andy Pages homered for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman matched his season high with four hits.

Kiké Hernández and Andy Pages homered for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman tied a season high with four hits.

The Dodgers tied it at 3 in the first on a three-run homer from Pages. They took a 7-5 lead in a three-run sixth, when rookie Dalton Rushing had an RBI double and Michael Conforto scored on a wild pitch.

The Angels scored five runs in the seventh. Nolan Schanuel hit an RBI double and O’Hoppe launched a three-run homer to right field off Kirby Yates (3-2) for a 9-7 lead. Kevin Newman added an RBI single.

The Dodgers pulled to 10-9 before Lugo homered in the ninth.

Key moment

O’Hoppe’s three-run home run in the seventh was his 10th of the season and his fifth go-ahead hit of the season

Ket stat

By winning the first two games, the Angels took a three-game series at Dodger Stadium for the first time since June of 2012.

Up next

Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (2-0, 2.81 ERA) was set to make his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery on Sunday. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 3.72) is chasing his first win in his 10th start for the Angels.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Doug Padilla, The Associated Press