comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causin

WASHINGTON -- Clayton Kershaw was hardly at his best.Nothing new when it comes to October.He allowed eight hits and three runs. He needed 101 pitches just to make it through five innings. His career postseason ERA even rose a bit, up to 4.65.Didnt matter a bit to the lefty. Only this did: He earned a rare playoff victory.Backed by early homers from rookie sensation Corey Seager and Justin Turner off Max Scherzer in a matchup of Cy Young Award winners that promised more than it delivered, Kershaw helped the Los Angeles Dodgers edge the Washington Nationals 4-3 Friday in Game 1 of their NL Division Series.It was a grind. A lot of guys on base all the time. Definitely wasnt easy, Kershaw said. As close as you can bend without breaking, I guess.His work done, Kershaw was able to relax in the dugout, chewing gum and blowing bubbles while watching relievers Joe Blanton, Grant Dayton, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen combine to give up one hit over four scoreless innings. Jansen got his first five-out save since April.Whatever weve got to do to win, right? Those guys are up to the challenge, Seager said about LAs bullpen. And theyve been up to it all year.Game 2 in the best-of-five matchup is Saturday at Washington.Facing the NL East champs, Kershaws three runs might not sound like an exorbitant total, but an opponent scored that many only once in the leftys preceding 16 starts. And there was a stop-and-start feel to the evening, because of plenty of boo-inducing mound visits from catcher Yasmani Grandal.I wanted to be sure on the signs. We were trying to change `em up pretty often, said Kershaw, who improved to 3-6 in the playoffs , a far cry from his regular-season record of 126-60 with a 2.37 ERA and three Cy Young Awards. It was mainly that I had so many guys on second base.Certainly did.Kershaw left the bases loaded in the second, and stranded two runners in both the third and fifth -- striking out Danny Espinosa along the way each time.We had him on the ropes a couple times, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said, and, you know, the big hit just escaped us.There was also a baserunning blunder by NL MVP contender Daniel Murphy in the seventh inning.Murphy, who hadnt started a game since Sept. 17 because of a strained glute muscle, reached when Baez walked him, but then was thrown out trying to steal second. Baker said it was Murphys decision to run there and acknowledged being surprised by the attempt.Theres two choices on that, Murphy said. Either be safe or dont run.In all, Washington went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.That meant the Nationals repeatedly let Kershaw off the hook. He sat out more than two months with a bad back before returning to the NL West winners in September and hadnt thrown more than 91 pitches since coming back.So what if he struggled?It feels good to win, and it feels good to win in this situation, Kershaw said. If I had pitched seven shutout innings and we lost, its a different feeling. At this time of year, you kind of just throw the stats out the window and you just win the game.He was staked to a 4-0 lead thanks mainly to Seager and Turner, before slowly giving back most of that margin.Kershaw allowed only one stolen base during 149 innings in the regular season, then allowed two on a single pitch in the third, when Bryce Harper (who had doubled) and Jayson Werth (who had walked) moved up. That became big when Anthony Rendon ripped a single to left field on a slider that didnt really slide, bringing both runners home and getting Washington to 4-2.Trea Turners sacrifice fly in the fourth cut LAs lead to a run.Like Washingtons Turner, LAs Seager is a rookie who has not played like one all year long.On the first pitch he saw from Scherzer, Seager turned on a 97 mph fastball and hit it to the deepest part of Nationals Park, beyond the 402-foot sign in center field, for a 1-0 lead.Scherzer plunked the next batter, Justin Turner, on the left arm. For whatever reason, the 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner for Detroit -- and a 20-game winner whos a leading contender for the NL honor this year -- never truly settled in.The Dodgers made it 4-0 in the third on Chase Utleys RBI single, then Justin Turners two-run shot on a 77 mph curveball. The ball sailed over the head of Werth, who jumped in vain to try to make a grab, then slammed his glove against the left-field wall.Homers have been Scherzers biggest problem the past two seasons: He allowed 27 in 2015, and a major league-high 31 in 2016.I made some mistakes, and they cost me, Scherzer said. I take ownership of that, and Im accountable for that.MAKING HISTORYBaker and LAs Dave Roberts became the first pair of black managers to face off in a postseason series. During pregame introductions, they met near home plate for a long embrace.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg threw a bullpen hours before Game 1 -- his first time on a mound since he hurt his right elbow a month ago. He was ruled out for the NLDS, but the Nationals hope he could return if the team advances. ... All-Star C Wilson Ramos, out for the season with a torn knee ligament, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.UP NEXTIn Game 2, RHP Tanner Roark (16-10, 2.83 ERA) starts for the Nationals, taking the assignment that likely would have gone to Strasburg if he were healthy. LHP Rich Hill (3-2, 1.84 ERA in six starts after a trade from Oakland) will pitch for the Dodgers. He was let go from Washingtons Triple-A Syracuse affiliate last year. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. Cheap NCAA Jerseys . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. https://www.chinajerseysncaa.us/ . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Cheap Basketball College Jerseys .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys China . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. VERMILLION, S.D. -- Trey Burch-Manning scored 14 points and his two free throws with 16 seconds left helped South Dakota fend off Bowling Green 78-72 on Sunday.Triston Simpson hit two free throws and a jumper to put South Dakota up for good at 75-71 with 32 seconds to play.South Dakota (2-0) led 33-27 at intermission on the strength of a 10-0 run. Tyler Flack emerged from the break and scored the Coyotes first seven points off a 3 and two jump shots.Burch-Manning scored to make it 42-29 with 17:55 left.Bowling Green (0-2) ccalled timeout, regrouped and went on a 14-4 run to cut its deficit to three.ddddddddddddntwon Lillards layup with 7:46 remaining gave Bowling Green a 59-57 lead, its first since 3:02 remaining in the first half. On the following possession, Lillard dished a no-look pass off a drive to the basket to Demajeo Wiggins for a dunk to put the lead at four.Rasheed Worrell led the Falcons with 14 points. ' ' '