Kershaw insists he wasn't tipping pitches in NLDS loss
Clayton Kershaw had an uncharacteristic start against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The left-hander was destroyed, surrendering a season-high eight runs in a 10-9 loss, prompting speculation that Cardinals hitters might have had some help along the way.
Fox Sports 1 analyst Harold Reynolds felt St. Louis hitters were relaying signs from the bases. Others, including former big-league players Marlon Anderson and C.J. Nitkowski, believed Kershaw was tipping pitches.
I promise you the #Cardinals has @ClaytonKersh22 pitches out of the stretch!!! Same as last years championship series.
— Marlon Anderson (@MarlonAnderson8) October 4, 2014
Harold Reynolds and @MarlonAnderson8 nailing what happened that inning. Kershaw giving something away, contact was crazy hard out of stretch
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) October 4, 2014
Kershaw shot down the pitch-tipping speculation.
"I think that's discrediting their team," he said, via Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register. "It's just a cop-out."
The southpaw wasn't the only one to pour cold water on the allegations. Matt Holliday, who smacked a game-changing three-run homer during an eight-run seventh inning, wasn't impressed about the assertions.
"The guy can get hit," Holliday said. "He has to leave it out over the plate sometimes. I think it's funny."