Clayton Kershaw survives, Dodgers top Nationals in Game 1

WASHINGTON — Breaking down Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park:

Dodgers 4, Nationals 3: Dodgers lead series, 1-0.

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The Game: With Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers and Max Scherzer starting for the Nationals, many expected Game 1 of the NLDS would mimic the tremendous pitching duel between Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard in the NL wild-card game. Instead, it proved more of a slog as Scherzer ran into trouble with the longball and Kershaw offered something short of his typical dominance.

The Dodgers took an early lead when shortstop Corey Seager, the second batter of the game, crushed a 430-foot homer to straightaway center field. They tacked on three more in the third on an RBI single by Chase Utley and a two-run homer by Justin Turner.

Kershaw opened the game by striking out the side in order in the first, flashing mid-90s fastballs a few ticks higher than his 93-mph season average. But Kershaw's best stuff didn't last, and the Nats gave him trouble in every subsequent inning. They tallied two runs on three hits and a walk in the third, then another on a Trea Turner sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Long innings and long at-bats forced Kershaw from the game with 101 pitches on his docket after the fifth. Scherzer, who settled after the Turner homer, lasted one inning longer.

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State of the Series: The Dodgers lead 1-0 heading into Game 2 on Saturday at Nationals Park. The series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday.

Rich Hill will start Game 2 for the Dodgers against the Nats' Tanner Roark. Hill, 36, opened last season pitching for the Nationals' Class AAA team in Syracuse. After getting released in late June, he spent time pitching for the independent Long Island Ducks before signing with the Red Sox and making four spectacular starts in September. Since reemerging in the Majors last year, Hill is 14-6 with a 2.00 ERA and 165 strikeouts across 139 1/3 regular-season innings.

Roark, forced out of the Nationals' deep starting rotation due to a numbers crunch in 2015, proved a reliable frontline starter in 2016. His 2.83 ERA led all Nats starters -- including Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

Dodgers find plenty of relief, take 1-0 NLDS lead over Nationals

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Man of the Moment: Justin Turner went 2-for-3 and got hit by a pitch in the game. His only out was an eighth-inning rocket to the left-center field gap that Jayson Werth chased down for a running catch. The Dodgers' No. 3 hitter and third baseman, Turner built on the postseason resume he began in the Dodgers' NLDS loss to the Mets last season. Though overshadowed by Daniel Murphy's performance on the winning end of that series, Turner went 10-for-19 with six doubles last year in his first October as an everyday player. He is now 12-for-23 with seven extra base hits in his postseason career.

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Pivot Point: Though the Nats never led in the game, they appeared to have Kershaw on the ropes in the third, with two on and two already in when Danny Espinosa came to the plate. But though Kershaw was hardly sharp and seemed to have trouble coordinating with catcher Yasmani Grandal all night, he managed to strike Espinosa out swinging to end the rally. Espinosa fanned three times against Kershaw, leaving six runners on base in the process.

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Needing a Mulligan: Typically sure-handed Dodgers infielder Chase Utley had a rough day in the field. The veteran made one error on a routine groundball, botched another but recovered in time to record an out, and failed to turn a double play that would've eased Kershaw's burden.

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Manager's Special: Dusty Baker moved Bryce Harper up to the No. 2 spot in his batting order, hoping to get Harper better pitches to hit from Kershaw -- a pitcher against whom he was 1-for-15 with 10 strikeouts entering the game. Whether due to that strategy or mere circumstance, Harper doubled off Kershaw in the third and came around to score the Nats' first run.

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What you Missed on TV: A raucous crowd of 43,915 chanting "Kershaw" to try to rattle the pitcher as he slogged into the middle innings of the game.

GALLERY: NLDS -- DODGERS vs. NATIONALS