Dodgers one-hit Twins after Kershaw tosses 7 perfect innings; Win 7-0 for two-game series sweep
With just six outs left in Wednesday's afternoon's 7-0 win over the Minnesota Twins, longtime Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was well on his way to his first career perfect game.
At just 80 pitches, the opportunity seemed... perfect.
But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had other ideas, pulling Kershaw from the game citing a need to keep Kershaw healthy throughout the extent of the lengthy MLB season.
Kershaw didn't fight the decision despite collecting another career accolade for his all-time resume - which already puts him amongst the greats in MLB history.
In the postgame interview, Kershaw relayed that he was completely okay with Roberts' decision, noting that he "would have loved to do it," hoping there's another chance, but deferred to his manager for the good of the team.
`We're trying to win,'' Kershaw continued. "That's really all we're here for."
Roberts followed up on the move postgame as well, where he said, "there's a lot of people that are cheering for the Dodgers. Not only just for today and for Clayton to throw a no-hitter, but for the Dodgers to win the World Series. And for us to do that we need him healthy."
The move brings MLB fans back to a similar instance that also took place while Roberts was at the helm back in 2016, when he pulled then-Dodger Rich Hill from his own potential perfect game after seven innings and just 89 pitches.
He also pulled Ross Stripling the same season, while he was in the midst of a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants, though he had already walked four and thrown 100+ pitches at the time.
The Twins Gary Sanchez poked an opposite field single into the right field just two hitters later, ending the perfect game bid.
It was their only hit of the contest, as Alex Vesia and Justin Bruihl were able to shut the door and secure the shutout, the first of the young campaign for the Boys in Blue.
Kershaw finished the day with 7.0 innings pitched, allowing no hits, no runs and no walks with 13 strikeouts - two shy of a career high. He also threw a no-hitter back in 2014.
A strong offensive performance was masked by the controversial pitching decision, as the Dodgers crushed four homers on their way to a seven run output.
The scoring started early when Justin Turner drove in two with a first inning single. They tacked on another in the next inning, when Trea Turner hit a sac fly, scoring Mookie Betts.
The next four runs came via solo homer, though not until much later in the game. Three came in the eighth inning on back-to-back-to-back homers from Cody Bellinger, Gavin Lux and Austin Barnes.
Max Muncy added his own solo shot in the top of the ninth to put the icing on top, sending the Dodgers home for the first time in the 2022 season.
Now 3-2, they'll host the Cincinnati Reds (2-4) in a three-game series, the first part of a seven-game homestand.
