As a lifelong Dodger fan, very rarely does a day go by when I do not count my blessings that I actually got to witness Hall of Famers Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax pitch live and in person. But for as great as Big-D and Sandy were – and they were two of the very best the game has ever seen – rarely does a Clayton Kershaw game go by where I also do not count my blessings for being able to witness yet another absolute 100 percent guaranteed slam dunk future Hall of Famer pitch … and that’s pretty cool when you think about it.

On Sunday afternoon, the three-time National League Cy Young award winner and 2014 NL MVP collected his 200th strikeout of the season, something that he has now done seven times and something that no other Dodger has ever done in the franchise’s storied 134-year history; not even the great Don Drysdale or the great Sandy Koufax. In doing so and with some clutch hitting by his batterymate Yasmani Grandal, Kershaw picked up his 18th win of the season, tops in the National League and tied with Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber for most in the MLB. He also lowered his ERA to an MLB-best 2.21.

Although undoubtedly the last thing on his mind right now, Kershaw just keeps piling up numbers that absolutely guarantee his place in baseball immortality in Cooperstown one day.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But even in his greatness on Sunday, the 6′-4″ / 228-pound hard-throwing lefty got a little help from his friends – a lot of help, actually – in the form of four double plays.

“It kind of worked out, it seemed the balls that were hit hard today were on the ground,” the ever-humble 29-year-old Dallas, Texas native said, after the game. “Thankfully, guys were standing there to make outs. Yeah … I don’t think I’ve ever had that many double plays before.”

Then again, when your make a total of only 93 pitches over eight innings and 70 of them are strikes (75.2 percent), strike out six and walk none, you’re kind of helping your own cause too.

“He was really good today,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “Six punch [outs], no walks, got the grounder for the double play when he needed it, defense played well.”

Ironically, it was Grandal who accounted for all three of the Dodgers runs on an absolutely glorious Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The 28-year-old Dodger catcher hit a sacrifice fly to left field in the second inning that allowed right fielder Curtis Granderson to score from third base. Grandal then slugged his 21st home run of the season to straightaway center field in the bottom of the fourth inning to give Kershaw and the Dodgers a then 3-0 lead.

Yasmani Grandal accounted for all three Dodgers runs on Sunday afternoon, the first of which came on this sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning that allowed Curtis Granderson to score from third base. Grandal would later add a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The only blemish on Kershaw’s otherwise outstanding day was a one out solo home run by Giants left fielder Mac Williamson in the top of the eighth inning of the eventual 3-1 Dodgers win.

By the way, 200 x 7 + 18 + 2.21 actually equals 1,420.21. But as far as Dodger fans are concerned, it equals 25 Main St, Cooperstown, NY 13326.