You would think that being up 2-0 over the lowly San Francisco Giants heading into the sixth inning would pretty much be a slam dunk win for the six-time consecutive NL West division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers, especially when you’ve got guys named Kenley Jansen, Scott Alexander, Dylan Floro, Yimi Garcia and Pedro Baez in your bullpen. And then, of course, there’s 30-year-old right-hander Joe Kelly, whom the Dodgers signed this past off-season to a 3-year / $25 million contract (with a $12 million club options for a fourth year or a $4 million buyout), with hopes that he would do for the Dodgers what he did against them in the 2018 World Series while a member of the World Champion Boston Red Sox

It hasn’t happened. Not yet, at least.

“Two really really horse crap outings results-wise,” Kelly told reporters, after giving up four runs on Monday night in what would be a 4-2 Dodgers loss. “My body feels good, other than that, if I did my job, we’d be 5-0.”

Kelly replaced 22-year-old Dodgers phenom Julio Urias in the top of the sixth inning after the young left-hander had thrown five brilliant innings of shutout ball, while allowing the Giants only three hits and striking out seven. But on Kelly’s first pitch to Brandon Belt, the Giants first baseman promptly homered to straightaway center field, making it a 2-1 ballgame.

Kelly managed to get out of the sixth inning without further damage, but gave up a two-out RBI single to Giants pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval, who himself would come around to score, along with Giants center fielder Steven Duggar, on a double by Belt off of Dodgers left-hander Scott Alexander, who (mercifully) had replaced Kelly.

All four Giants runs were charged to Kelly, who has now allowed six earned runs in 3.0 innings pitched thus far this season for a team-worst 18.00 ERA, having allowed two home runs and two doubles.

As you might expect, Kelly walked off the field to a chorus of boos by an upset Dodger Stadium crowd which, according to the Anaheim, California native and St. Louis Cardinals third-round draft pick in 2009, he was “fine” with.

“I played in a place [Boston] where it’s a lot worse with the boo birds so it’s fine,” Kelly said. “It’s all part of it. It’s part of being a fan. Obviously, I’m not happy with myself. I wouldn’t be happy with myself if I was a fan, either.”

You’ve got to give Kelly credit for at least owning up to his early-season struggles … “horse crap” notwithstanding.

Play Ball!

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