Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw Unmoved By Scoreless Streak Ending

[new_royalslider id=”221″] Entering Thursday’s start, Clayton Kershaw hadn’t allowed a run in 36 consecutive innings. The Dodger ace was still 23 innings away from tying Orel Hershiser’s all-time record, but appeared destined to inch closer against the San Diego Padres, statistically the worst offensive team in baseball.

The Dodgers provided Kershaw with a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, which as of late has been more than enough run support for the left-hander. Kershaw breezed through the first five innings on 61 pitches, allowing just one hit — a single in the third inning.



Kershaw’s scoreless streak reached 41 innings before it came to a sinking halt. Chase Headley hit a two-out solo home run on a slider that didn’t quite do hundreds, if not thousands of other Kesrhaw sliders have.

Headley’s home run didn’t have much on it and just cleared the wall in left-center field. With the game tied, Kershaw turned his attention to the next batter, Carlos Quentin, who struck out — resulting in Kershaw striking out the side.

Following the Dodgers’ win, Kershaw dismissed the streak ending and chalked up not allowing runs as part of his responsibility, via Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports:

I don’t really care about an innings streak,” he said. “We’re not supposed to give up runs. That’s our job.”

The Dodgers re-gained the lead in the bottom of the sixth, which Kershaw this time protected in his complete-game win. Despite eclipsing 100 pitches before the start of the ninth, manager Don Mattingly didn’t have intentions of removing the ace from the game:

It’s hard to take him out,” manager Don Mattingly said. “There’s nobody out there [in the bullpen] who’s better than him, so…”

Kershaw is now 8-0 in his last eight starts with a 0.74 ERA. Opponents have hit just .146 in the stretch and Kershaw has amassed 80 strikeouts, while only issuing five walks.

The night of work also qualified the left-hander to place on the overall ERA list, which he now leads all of baseball with a 1.78 ERA.
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Dodgers History: MLB Facts About Clayton Kershaw’s No-Hitter


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