Beckett powers Dodgers to big win

Philadelphia: Josh Beckett threw the first no-hitter of the 2014 Major League Baseball season, powering the Los Angeles Dodgers over the host Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 on Sunday.

The 34-year-old US right-hander tossed 80 of his 128 pitches for strikes in hurling the first no-hitter of his career, striking out six Phillies batters while walking three.

It was the first no-hitter by a Dodgers’ pitcher since Japanese star Hideo Nomo blanked Colorado 9-0 on September 17, 1996, in Denver.

“I was just, like, ‘Oh my god, I just threw a no-hitter,” Beckett said of his emotions, still sounding a little stunned after the fact.

“I don’t really know what else to say. I was excited. I was glad it was over. It was fun.”

The Phillies had not suffered a no-hit loss since falling 5-0 to St. Louis in 1978.

Beckett, who improved to 3-1 this season, was the 2003 World Series Most Valuable Player for Florida but was idled last season after unusual surgery in July to remove a rib to relieve a nerve problem in his hand.

“For him to be able to do that today is nice,” said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

“For everything he’s been through with us — the surgery last year, missing the whole season, changing himself as a pitcher, using the breaking ball more and everything else — it was fun to watch.”

The former number two overall draft pick once threw a fastball that averaged 151 kilometres per hour.

That pitch hovered around 148 kilometres per hour on Sunday, but was devastating in combination with his change-up and curveball.

In the ninth inning, Beckett retired the first two batters on a pop fly out and a ground out to first, but then walked Jimmy Rollins.

Chase Utley pushed to a full count but was left looking at a fastball for a called third strike to end the game and ignite a celebration as teammates mobbed Beckett and Philadelphia fans gave him a standing ovation.

“I didn’t think about the no-hitter,” said Beckett, who took a deep breath before pitching to Utley. “I thought, ‘Chase Utley is up next. I have to deal with him.’”

Utley thought the second strike was a ball — and actually headed off toward first before he heard the call.

Beckett then caught Utley with a low, inside fastball.

“I was trying to think along with him,” Utley said of the final pitch, which he expected to be off-speed.

With a comfortable lead, Beckett breezed through the Phillies’ line-up in the sixth and seventh, with three ground-outs, two flyouts and a pop-out.

He struck out Domonic Brown looking to start the eighth, then induced a ground ball to shortstop from Wil Nieves and fanned Cesar Hernandez.

“That was a lot of fun,” Mattingly said.

Beckett, who had one prior career one-hitter, came away from the game with a souvenir — the rubber from the pitching mound.

“I’m really touched by that,” Beckett said, adding that it showed the Phillies’ class to give it to him after the game, and not just send it on to Los Angeles.

“To get it that quickly really meant something,” he said. “I’ll figure out some place to put it.”