(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
With DJ LeMahieu at third on a throwing error by Kershaw to first in the third inning, the Rockies liked their chances of ending Clayton Kershaw’s scoreless streak. With one out, they had couple of chances to accomplish that feat.
Luck was on Kershaw’s side. Rockies starter Jair Jurrjens attempted to steal second, but he was caught stealing for the second out. That made the Dodgers ace’s job easy. He finished up the inning by striking out Charlie Blackmon.
That was as good of a chance the Rockies were going to get. From there, they went out meekly against Kershaw for the rest of the game. The Dodgers southpaw extended his scoreless innings streak to 36 (17 of his 36 scoreless innings streak have come against the Rockies) in the Dodgers’ 9-0 victory over the Rockies last night at Coors Field. He is ranked third in Dodgers history for throwing most scoreless innings.
It would have been something if he pitched a complete game, but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly showed mercy to the Rockies by not having his ace pitch the ninth inning. Former Rockie Jamey Wright finished the game in a mopup role.
As for Kershaw, he would have wanted the no-hitter to go along with his scoreless streak. He had the stuff to no-hit the Rockies again. His slider and curveball was tough to hit to start the game. He settled for a two-hitter instead.
The Dodgers lefty is about excellence. This is not about putting a quality start anymore. He wants to pitch complete games. He wants to throw shutouts and no-hitters. He wants to be worth the price of admission when he is on the mound.
The 26-year-old hurler has high goals. He aims to break Orel Hershiser’s record for the most scoreless streak ever. That’s going to be tough, but he believes he can get it done with the way he is pitching. He completed June by going 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA, and he hasn’t allowed a run since the third inning against Arizona on June 13. That feat was good enough for him to win the NL Pitcher of the Month for June.
This has been a good run, but Kershaw knows he can do better than that. One can only appreciate his thought process.
Watching Kershaw is a privilege. He has sustained his excellence for the last four years. That’s a mark of a great pitcher right there. He hasn’t succumbed to injuries that elite starters have, which is impressive in itself.
When Kershaw is out on the mound, it’s beautiful to watch. He gets outs quickly. He is always ahead of the count, and he finishes the hitters by striking them out. He always has low pitch counts. He is a guy that will always go the distance.
The seven-year starter always keeps fans intrigued about what he is going to do next. He was the only reason to watch the Rockies game last night. There were people thinking he was going to no-hit the Rockies again along with extending his scoreless innings streak.
There’s no question people will watch Kershaw’s next start on Thursday against the Padres. He may just throw a no-hitter along with throwing another scoreless innings streak since the Padres are a horrible hitting team.
If he is about to break Hershiser’s streak, the moment won’t faze him. He has that temperament that can help him enjoy the moment rather than let it get to him.
Not only does he wants to break the record, but he wants to win as many championships as possible. He knows that people will view him as immortal if he wins championships. He knows championships define his greatness.
Kershaw is still smarting from his awful Game 6 performance against the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series last year. He gave up seven runs on 10 hits in four-plus innings. He was knocked out of a start without finishing the fifth inning for the first time this season.
There’s no question this has been bothering him all offseason and now. The Dodgers relied on him to set the tone in Game 6 in an attempt to play Game 7. He did not get it done, and he felt like a failure. He took the blame for the Dodgers being eliminated in the NLCS.
It may turn out that elimination game is a blessing in disguise. It has set the stage of what could be a career year for Kershaw this season with the way he is performing on the mound.
What Kershaw wants more than anything is to be the guy that helps the Dodgers win their first championship since 1988. This October is going to mean something for him. That’s why he has approach this season in a businesslike manner.
His recent run and his approach should tell everyone he is on a mission.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
