It was baseball’s best pitcher at his absolute best Wednesday night, as Clayton Kershaw struck out a career-high 15 in a no-hitter against the Rockies.
The only Colorado hitter to reach base in the game was Corey Dickerson on a soft grounder to shortstop in the seventh. Hanley Ramirez, who was iffy to start tonight because of an injured finger on his throwing hand, charged it well, but then threw wide of first base for the error. Ramirez ended up coming out of the 8-0 game for defense after the inning.
Kershaw entered the ninth at 101 pitches, but he got an easy grounder from D.J. LaMahieu on his first pitch of the frame and a popup from Charlie Culberson on the second. He then struck out Dickerson on four pitches to end it.
Kershaw joined teammate Josh Beckett as the only pitchers to throw no-hitters so far this year. Beckett got his May 25 against the Phillies. They became the first set of teammates to throw no-hitters in the same season since Burt Hooton and Milt Pappas did so for the Cubs in 1972.
Kershaw topped his previous high of 13 strikeouts established April 15, 2009 against the Giants. It was his eighth career shutout and first in 10 starts this season.
