Kershaw struggles in final spring start

Kershaw struggles in final spring start

Published Mar. 31, 2012 4:35 p.m. ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Clayton Kershaw's final spring tuneup was a clunker. Ian Kennedy wasn't much better.

Next up? Opening day.

Kershaw and Kennedy both struggled Saturday, and the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to a 9-3 victory over an Arizona Diamondbacks split squad.

Kershaw, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up three runs, six hits and a walk in 3 2-3 innings for the Dodgers.

"I gave up runs and hits which constitutes a bad outing," he said. "Giving up hits was the main thing. I wasn't hitting a lot of spots but giving up hits was the problem."

The left-hander had been dominant this spring, yielding just three runs in 18 1-3 innings and holding opponents to a .203 average heading into Saturday's game.

"I like to pitch well no matter when I go out there," Kershaw said. "It is no fun to pitch bad. It doesn't count until April 5th so hopefully all the bad ones are out of my system."

Kennedy, who finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting last season, worked five innings and was charged with three runs and five hits. He gave up just one run in 11 innings over his two previous starts.

"I have been feeling better and better with command and my off-speed stuff, today too," Kennedy said. "Today's results aside, I am pretty happy with how things are going."

Matt Angle hit a two-run homer and Justin Sellers had two RBIs for Los Angeles. Ronald Belisario pitched 1 1-3 perfect innings.

Jason Kubel hit a two-run homer for Arizona. Craig Breslow allowed three runs and four hits in one inning.

NOTES: It was the 13th sellout this spring at Salt River Fields, extending the franchise mark. The previous record was 11 set last season, the first year the Diamondbacks played at Salt River Fields. ... The Diamondbacks traded RHP Robby Rowland to Pittsburgh and outrighted RHP Brett Lorin to Double-A Mobile. Lorin, who turned 25 on Saturday, was selected in the Rule 5 draft in December, and the trade allows Arizona to send him to the minors without offering him back to the Pirates. The Diamondbacks now have 33 players in camp, including five non-roster players. ... Arizona 2B Aaron Hill was sent home before the game because he was feeling ill.

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