Kershaw: Bumgarner instigated scuffle with Puig

Madison Bumgarner vs. Yasiel Puig - Round 2.

Both players proved once again they're not fond of each other, after a sixth inning ground out turned into a bench-clearing brouhaha Monday, with Puig and Bumgarner at the center of it all.

Bumgarner - who was cruising before the altercation, tossing seven scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out 10 - did not return to the mound after the scuffle, which turned out to be a blessing for Puig and the Dodgers, who scored two runs in the ninth to seal the victory.

"(The argument) actually was in our favor, because he was taken out of the game," Puig told Andy McCullogh of the Los Angeles Times. "He was pitching well. And in the end, we won."

Clayton Kershaw, who was making his third start since missing two months with a back injury, was equally impressive, throwing six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

After the game, the Dodgers ace took to Puig's defense.

"That wasn’t Puig's fault," Kershaw said. "It looked like he was saying 'Don't look at me.' We all know Bum’s pretty intense out there, but he definitely stirred the fire on that one. He was asking for it."

Despite the fireworks, the Dodgers gained ground over the Giants, handing them their third straight loss to extend L.A.'s division lead by six games. Heading into Tuesday, the two teams will play each other five more times, and if Monday's game was any indication, a potential Round 3 between Bumgarner and Puig promises to keep things interesting.

"Those two like each other a lot," Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. "They probably go out to breakfast every morning they’re in town."

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)