Los Angeles: Clayton Kershaw carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out 11 to become the first 13-game winner in the majors this season, helping the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 in a match-up of the National League’s top two teams Tuesday night.
Kershaw (13-2) ended up allowing two hits in seven shutout innings. He lost his bid for a second career no-hitter on an infield single by Chris Owings with one out in the seventh.
Owings fisted a soft grounder to second baseman Logan Forsythe, but rookie All-Star first baseman Cody Bellinger broke for the ball when it was hit. Kershaw was too late getting over to cover the bag, and Owings beat the play at first as Kershaw had to reach back for Forsythe’s throw.
The sell-out crowd of 53,159 gave Kershaw a standing ovation after the play. He allowed one other hit, a single by Chris Iannetta. The three-time Cy Young Award winner issued two walks — both to Iannetta — and threw 117 pitches.
All-Star closer Kenley Jansen entered with two runners on in the ninth and gave up a three-run homer to Daniel Descalso, leaving Arizona down 4-3. Jansen finished for his 18th save in as many chances.
Kershaw has made 12 consecutive starts without a loss and is 9-0 with a 2.19 ERA since a 4-3 loss to San Francisco on May 1. The left-hander hasn’t allowed a run in his last three starts, giving him 76 career starts without allowing an earned run, the most among active pitchers.
Arizona lefty Patrick Corbin (6-8) gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal drove in two runs apiece. Turner had an RBI single in the first and followed with a leadoff home run in the third, when Grandal’s two-out RBI single made it 3-0.
Grandal added an RBI single in the eighth for a 4-0 lead.
