Only two players even attempted stolen bases during the regular season off Kershaw, whose strong left-handed pickoff move typically discourages baserunners from straying. But not Harper and Werth, who stole 21 and five bags during the regular season, respectively.
The Nats tried to rally against Kershaw one inning earlier, but Max Scherzer popped up on a 3-2 pitch out of the strike zone to strand the bases loaded. Kershaw entered the game 8-0 with a 0.88 ERA against the Nationals since the start of the 2012 season.
Washington further chipped away at the deficit in the fifth, with Trea Turner's sacrifice fly making it a 4-3 game.