Norris’ effort provides a silver lining

LOS ANGELES — Though he has spent more than a year battling frequent frustration, Bud Norris has maintained a smug sense of confidence and provided every indication that he relishes any opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.

The odds were certainly stacked against Norris when he took the Dodger Stadium mound on Saturday night to make his first start since April 27. The Braves’ veteran right-hander had one day to prepare for this unexpected matchup against Clayton Kershaw. But he didn’t blink as he nearly matched the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner through five innings and provided his club some hope before the Dodgers pulled away for a 4-0 win.

“You’re always going to have doubters,” Norris said. “There’s more than you can ask for, but at the end of the day, it’s about having confidence in yourself and confidence in your teammates.”

Norris’ teammates certainly respected the unselfish effort he provided as he limited the Dodgers to one run over five innings. This was initially going to simply be a spot-start that …

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