Kershaw labors through 3 innings in return

Clayton Kershaw's long-awaited return from the disabled list was decidedly short-lived.

Appearing on a major-league mound for the first time since June 26 because of a herniated disk in his lower back, the Los Angeles Dodgers ace lasted just three innings Friday against the Marlins, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts during a 66-pitch outing, 46 of which were thrown for strikes.

Though he labored through the first and second innings - his 43 pitches were the most he's thrown over his first two frames of a game this season - Kershaw struck out four of his final seven batters to finish the outing.

Kershaw showed a little rust, though, in the highly anticipated duel with Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, who struck out 14 batters for the third time this season.

The big Dodgers lefty allowed a first-inning solo shot to Miami catcher J.P. Realmuto, marking just the second longball off Kershaw's slider this season, despite entering the game having thrown the pitch 578 times. After the game, the three-time Cy Young winner was making no excuses.

''It's not spring training for anybody else so it's not for me, either,'' Kershaw told reporters. ''We've got to beat the Giants. We've got to win this division. I'm thankful for what the guys did while I was gone. They played unbelievable. They're still playing unbelievable. I want to be a part of that. I want to help that. Tonight I didn't really help. So I need to do that, pretty soon.''