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Ryu Hyun-jin comes back down to earth

April 4, 2014

Dodgers lose to Giants, 8-4, in home opener

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, right, of South Korea, talks with catcher A.J. Ellis during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, April 4, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

By Lee Kyutae

Ryu Hyun-jin came back down to earth. The 27-year-old Korean left-hander for the Los Angeles Dodgers had the worst outing of his brief Major League career on Friday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

Ryu went into the game against the San Francisco Giants with 12 scoreless inning streaks, but his day ended quickly.

He was moved up in the rotation to start the home opener after injured ace Clayton Kershaw went on the disabled list for the first time in his career with a strained muscle in his back, but he only lasted two innings.

His earned run average (ERA) ballooned from 0.00 to 3.86, as he gave up eight hits and eight runs, six of them earned, while getting only six outs. He struck out two, and walked three.

Ryu’s problem started after getting two outs. He walked “Kung Fu Panda” Pablo Sandoval, and Buster Posey followed with a double off the left field wall.

Ryu still only needed one out to end the inning but allowed Michael Morse to deliver a two-run single up the middle.

Everything fell apart after that, and the Dodgers ended up losing 8-4.

Their bullpen did not allow any more runs, and Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier each homered, but they were nearly enough to overcome their early woes.