Attention baseball: Clayton Kershaw is unhittable.
The reigning NL MVP took a perfect game into the seventh inning on Thursday as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 3-0 in the first game of a four game series on Thursday at Citi Field.
Kershaw (8-6) threw a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits, with no walks, and 11 strikeouts over nine innings, extending his scoreless streak to 29 innings.
"There's a lot of luck that has to happen to throw a perfect game," Kershaw said. "Once the seventh inning rolled around I thought it could be possible, but it didn't last very long."
It was Kershaw's 11th complete game shutout of his career as the three-time Cy Young award winner became the first pitcher since the man himself (Cy Young – 1905) to have 10+ strikeouts, no runs and no walks in three consecutive starts.
Kershaw has 1.22 ERA in his last 11 starts, allowing 11 earned runs with 11 walks and 112 strikeouts.
"I feel like I have pretty good command right now, especially with my fastball," Kershaw continued. "I got in a pretty good rhythm there, and once Jimmy hit that home run I felt good."
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
Kershaw's perfect game was broken up in the seventh inning when Curtis Granderson led off with a line drive single to right field.
"I thought for a second there we were going to throw a no-hitter, potentially a perfect game," Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "He made a good pitch on Granderson, but he got the bat on the ball."
Clayton Kershaw nine outs from throwing the first inevitable perfect game in MLB history. — Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 24, 2015
Kershaw is 6-0 in nine career starts with a 1.49 ERA against the NY Mets. The Mets were also the only team that Kershaw had not beaten in the past three years until today. Kershaw's last victory over the 'Amazing Mets' was on July 1, 2012.
"Looks like he's back, he's been lights out," Grandal continued. "He's answering all those critics who asked 'Where has Clayton gone?' Looks like he's been here all along."
Jimmy Rollins hit a solo shot to right center off of Bartolo Colon in the third inning. Rollins leads all active players in hits against the Mets with 277. He trails only Pete Rose (396) and Lou Brock (289) for the most against the Mets all-time.
Colon was equally impressive for New York, unfortunately he ran into a buzz saw in Kershaw who is simply unhittable at the moment as he white washed the Mets.
Colon (9-9) was the hard-luck loser allowing just one run on five hits with four strikeouts over eight strong innings.
"We were overmatched tonight," Mets manager Terry Collins said matter of factly.
Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with three singles on the day.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with no outs and Mets reliever Carlos Torres walked in a run, before a sac fly to right field by Yasiel Puig made it 3-0.
Kiké Hernandez started at second base in place of Howie Kendrick.
Clayton Kershaw strikes out 11 as Dodgers shut out Mets, 3-0. He has now pitched 29 straight scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/7On9dHkhQi — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 24, 2015
Game Notes:
Since 1914, only one pitcher had three consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks. Chris Archer did it earlier this year, as Kershaw becomes the second starting pitcher to do it over the last 101 years.
It was the Dodgers MLB leading 15th shutout of the year.
Please refresh this page for more updates, stats and player reactions…
