Chattanooga possible for Kershaw rehab; Chattanooga Lookouts beat Birmingham Barons, 4-1

photo Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw smiles before a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 24, 2014, in Los Angeles.

Chattanooga is being mentioned as a possible site for Clayton Kershaw's next rehab assignment for the Los Angeles Dodgers, provided there is another one.

Kershaw threw 56 pitches and allowed just two hits Friday night for Rancho Cucamonga in the high Single-A California League. The website TrueBlueLA.com reported Saturday that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and the medical staff want the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner to make one more rehab start but that the left-hander is ready to return to the majors.

"He feels good today," Mattingly told the site. "He said he felt like he knew he could pitch. I'm not sure Kersh buys into [a second rehab start].

"There has been a small debate going on, and I don't want him being part of the debate."

Chattanooga would make sense for Kershaw's second rehab assignment, the website explained, since the Dodgers begin a series at Minnesota on Tuesday and go to Miami after that. Kershaw, who signed a seven-year, $215 million contract in January, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday.

The Dodgers may not make any announcement regarding Kershaw's next appearance until after that session. He has been dealing with a strained upper back since leading Los Angeles to a 3-1 win over Arizona in Australia in late March.

"We'll see where we go," Mattingly told the site. "We'll get this bullpen and go from there."

photo Chattanooga Lookouts logo

Lookouts prevail

Chattanooga won for the sixth time in eight games Saturday night, downing Birmingham 4-1 at AT&T Field.

The Lookouts (11-12) trailed 1-0 before erupting for a four-run sixth inning that began with Jeremy Hazelbaker's single to center field. Daniel Mayora and O'Koyea Dickson had doubles to right, and then Scott Schebler and Brian Cavazos-Galvez provided triples to left.

Lookouts starting pitcher Chris Reed worked eight innings to get the win.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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