In what is already being called "The Most Perfect Non-Perfect Game," "The Best Game You Will Ever See," and "The most dominant pitching performance in Dodger history?", Clayton Kershaw threw the Dodger franchise's 22nd no-hitter, using 107 pitches to strike out 15 Rockies batters.
It was the first no-hitter in Kershaw's career and would have been a perfect game if not for Hanley Ramirez's throwing error in the seventh inning. Kershaw had all his weapons firing tonight, breaking off nasty curveball after nasty curveball while still touching 95 mph in the ninth inning.
Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez propelled the offense to an early lead, which helped take some pressure off Kershaw. With his adorable wife Ellen watching nervously from the stands, Kershaw thrust his hands skyward after striking out Corey Dickerson to end the game.
In a season plagued by offensive inconsistency and indifferent defense (why was Hanley still in the game with an 8-0 lead?), Josh Beckett and Kershaw have electrified this team some two and a half months into the season. And the Giants lost again, putting the Dodgers a mere four games out of first place.
So bring on the bubbles...
...because there ain't no party like a #DanceParty!
1: @Dodgers; 2: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sport; 3&4: @MLB; 5: @Dodgers; 6: Chad Moriyama
