#MLBVideos: FULL GAME: Clayton Kershaw joins the 3,000-strikeout club! (White Sox vs. Dodgers)

FULL GAME: Clayton Kershaw joins the 3,000-strikeout club! (White Sox vs. Dodgers)

Clayton Kershaw has made this walk thousands of times. A select few times though have been different. And tonight is one of those nights. On the other side of these doors, his teammates are waiting. Between the white lines, history awaits. Clayton Kershaw, three strikeouts away from becoming the 20th member of the 30,000 strikeout club. And as always, he sticks to his routine out on the field at 623 on the dot. Let’s say hello, shall we? Wherever you may be and however you may be joining us, welcome to Blue Heaven on Earth. Alongside Oral Hersheiser, I’m Steven Nelson. Kirstston Watson is down next to the Dodger dugout. But Oral, everybody is here for one reason and respectfully not the Yoshino Yamamoto bobblehead. It’s the opportunity to watch Clayton Krug go for history. During this generation, the Dodgers have won two world championships on the road. Clayton has thrown his no hitter here at home. This will be a night in the regular season that will be one of the most special nights ever in his career. The way he has turned on the jets the last four starts or he has turned back the clock and looked like vintage Kersh. Yeah, the slider is still there. The curveball is changing speeds. The fast ball has location. Yes, there was seven in St. Louis. Yes, there were five in San Francisco. Four against Washington, five against Colorado. But the biggest number tonight is three. Let’s go downstairs to Kirsten Watson. Kirsten, you know, there’s a buzz in the building tonight. There’s an energy. There’s a nervousness and an anxiety because the anticipation. How’s the Dodger Clubhouse feeling? Everyone down here is feeling like they are patiently waiting to witness history. But talking to Dave Roberts earlier, he said that for Clayton Kershaw, this achievement is truly the final box when it comes to checking off things with his illustrious career. And he said that Clayton Kershaw, he wants this one. So that when he finds himself in a two count, a two strike count, he is going to be chasing it to get that third one. But when asked how he wants to see him receive that 30,000 career strikeout, he wants it to be, of course, a swinging strike in the pitch, you might ask. He of course wants it to be a slider, guys. The chase will get on when we come back. Ah, forever ago and yesterday at the same time, a fresh face Kersch made his debut. Lenn is no hitter. Is tonight the latest chapter in his Hall of Fame career? Come back on Sports Net LA. Let’s find out together. For 18 seasons, we have witnessed history on the mound from Clayton Kershaw. So, let’s see now what young Clayton Kershaw will do. Fast ball. Got him swinging. Got it. He’s done it. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodger strikeout king. Three scions, a National League MVP, and two World Series championships. And tonight, under the bright lights of Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw goes for more history. Three strikeouts away from 3,000. You have a chance to do it at home. Will be very special. It’s the chase for 3,000 strikeouts, and it’s coming up next. 708. Not a second earlier. Clayton Kershaw runs out. Your World Series champion, Los Angeles Dodgers. Though tonight could be different. Clayton Kershaw doing everything in his power to make sure nothing is different. He has a regiment. He follows it specifically, maniacally, and it has worked from the dry work yesterday to watching the game to understanding what would be tonight. He’s ready. His ninth start of the season, trying for five straight wins, trying to lead the Dodgers to seven straight series wins. trying for history. Three strikeouts away from becoming the 20th pitcher all time to record at least 3,000 strikeouts. He would be the fourth left-hander ever. But Oral, what makes it different in Dodger Nation is that Clayton Kershaw could be just the third in history, regardless of hand, to record 3,000 in one uniform. One uniform makes it very special. Los Angeles makes it very special. from a 19year-old to a 37y old that’s three strikeouts away from 3000. We have watched him grow up. We have watched him mature. We have watched him dominate from the very very beginning. And that domination has been spelled K for Kershaw. And honestly, we’ve watched him soften a little bit. And I think we have Ellen and the Kershaw kids to thank for that. They are of course in attendance. Alli, Charlie, Cooper, Chance, and another one on the way. I think that the family, his teammates, his manager, his pitching coach, and the fans are going to allow him to celebrate this individual achievement. He is so much about team, about W’s, about going deep into games for the club, but I think he’s given gotten permission to celebrate when he gets number three. Off we go. Fast ball upstairs. Ball one to Chase my draw. the local kid leading off for the White Socks here in game two of a three-game series. Now, of course, the stats never can fully predict the story of any one baseball game. swinging a miss strike line. But the White Socks have the second highest strikeout rate in baseball against left-handed pitchers, nearly 27%. It’s an aggressive team. It’s a young team. Two and two. The fans are engaged like it’s a World Series game right from the first pitch. on a two- two pitch. Maidra shoots it to right field. It’ll hang up for Pahes. The first down of the ball game. Talking to some of Clayton’s teammates before the game today. They weren’t too talkative with Kershaw, but they were very observant of him. They said it’s a different look. There was some jitters, some good nerves. They are fun butterflies to have if you can make them fly in formation. Now Austin Slater, strike one at the knees. Slater, one of the more familiar White Socks facing Kershaw. 27 at bats. He’s got seven hits, four for extra bases, including three home runs. The other side of the leisure, seven strikeouts. The O2 a hair downstairs went for the chase slider. Put it in a position to get the chase. Didn’t get him to pull the trigger. Curve out the way. I I do sort of feel for Jim Wolf, the home plate umpire tonight. Every close call, if it is not called a strike, he’s going to hear it from 50,000 plus. I think if you took a poll, people would want it to be a strike three on a swing. Shot down the right field line. That’s a fair ball toward the corner. Cut off quickly by Pes. He then loses it. It goes by him. Slater is thinking three and he will get there standing up. So a defensive miscue from Andy Pahes in the corner. Fast ball up. Clayton was trying to get it more inside. Able to get an inside out swing to give it down that line. And then that was a tough play right there. You’re wondering is it going to hit the cement underneath or the padding? The padding catapulted it by him. We’ll see if the official score calls it a double with an error or a threebagger. Swinging first strike on the former Dodger Miguel Vargas. Dodger infield drawn in with Slater on third and only one out. It is scored a triple. Be the first of the season for Austin Slater. Slider just misses the bottom of the zone. Even count one and one. This situation has been part of why Clayton has so many strikeouts when he needs one. He’s pitched out of so many jams where he can’t allow the runner to advance 90 ft. And of course, that could be a popup, but for him it’s usually a K. Two balls in his strike. He deals. Vargas whiffs on strike two. Three White Socks faced by Kershaw. All of them were in two strike counts. Vargas is one for his last 25 with 10 strikeouts. Ground ball to third scooped up by Muny. There’s Sato back to the bag and gets out number two. With Clayton on the mound and you’re the third baseman, you have to be ready all night. Predominantly throughout his career, it was fast ball into righties and slider down and into righties. And that was that pitch right there that induced that ground ball. Been three swings and misses from the White Sox, but none have come in two strike counts. One more out to get to escape the first inning. Andrew Benendi, veteran outfielder at the DH tonight, swings through a strike. Four for nine lifetime. Who’s been in Tendy against Kershaw? All four hits were singles. Kershaw checks back on Slater, the runner on third. And now deals is 01. The last four games, Clayton has been really on his game. You can’t tell him he’s in the twilight of his career. 4-0 with a 157 over his last four starts on this 1-1. Ben intendi two strike two statcast 3D is powered by Google cloud illustrating his pitch usage his last four starts curve ball most effective don’t look at the splitter he throws it less than 5% of the time but the slider is the pitch ball in the dirt well blocked by Will Smith keeps later on third the count squares up two and two Dodgers with a six to1 win last night because they hit with runners in scoring position. The White Socks, they have not hit with runners in scoring position so far in these two games. One for six. Kersaw’s 20th pitch of the inning is roped to right. It will drop down for a hit. RBI single Andrew Benendi and the White Sox take the early one- nothing lead. Clayton put a new wrinkle into that pitch. dropped down a little bit. Went really low three quarters with this fast ball trying to get it away. Lefty just found a way to get it out there to right field. Now the switch hitting catcher Edgar Carol getting two strikes. He’s gotten there every single hitter, but just has not been able to put them away via the strikeout. And in fact, there’s been loud contact. The crowd slightly tempered here knowing that it can’t happen in this first inning, but they’re looking to get the count a little closer to 3,000. High chopper left side of the infield. This will be Muki’s ball, but he won’t have a play. An infield single continues the first inning for Chicago. Second base number 50, Lady Sosa. A chopper that no matter how good your baseball clock is, you know there is no chance here. The most pitches Clayton Kershaw threw in one inning in his last start was 16. Already at 23 starting tonight one- nothing Chicago. They’ve already equaled their hit total from all of last night in the series opener with three hits. First and second, two down. The ball upstairs on Lenny Sosa. He’s their toughest customer right now. Last night, two for three. Since May 28th, he’s hitting close to 300. The last five games, close to 400. He’s been the guy in the lineup driving in their runs. Ball two. It was a good visit by Will Smith, not only giving up a run and then the chopper, but to get out there at a pitch count at 23 and just give him a little breather. Dodger Stadium trying to give Clayton Kershaw a boost ahead of this two- pitch. There’s a strike on the inner third. that graphic we just showed about the first inning and having in a higher RA. The longer you go into your career, the more you have to get your rhythm and your location. You don’t have all the stuff to get people out with poor location. So, you’re you’re using that first inning to to find your rhythm, to find your location, your release point. And then if you can do that within the stuff that you’ve brought to the mound, all of a sudden you can get on a roll. And that’s what we’ve seen with Clayton since coming back from injury. Needs one more strike to finish the first. Well, the one thing we have seen is the White Socks are going to swing with two strikes. They are going to protect and so he’s going to have to find some putaway pitches against this young lineup. Shaw approaching 30 pitches in the top of the first. Another 2-2 high fly ball left field toward the Dodger bullpen. Conforto on the warning track. He is at the wall. He leaps and he brings it back. Michael Conorto with a spectacular catch at the wall to get the Dodgers out of the first. Here’s the Dodgers starting lineup presented by your Southern California helpful Honda dealers. Show Otani and Muki Betts reunited at the top of the order with Bets drawing back in. Will Smith will bat third in front of Freddy Freeman who is cleaning up. Andy Pahes will bat fifth and right. Max Muny holding down the six spot at third. In the final three, Michael Conforto in left field just made a terrific play. Tommy Edmond in center and Hesson Kim back-to-back starts for the Dodger rookie. The Dodgers are going to try and replicate their first inning from last night. They scored four runs, all with two outs. They’ll face an opener for the White Sox. The left-hander Brandon Ice. Icer will throw more sliders to lefties and more change ups to righties. We’ll see how long he’s in there. Probably just one inning. His first pitch of the night. Hooks slowing away. Ball one. Otani had just one hit last night, but it was a big one. His 30th home run of the season. Five straight campaigns with at least 30. He’s hit that number before the All-Star break for the third time in his career. with some fancy footwork to get the left ball inside. Rolled over his front foot, spun off his back foot, got the head of the bat on that one. A one- one from Iser’s in the dirt. This Dodger lineup wants to get Clayton some runs and put the air back in the balloon. There was a lot of work in the top of the first. on a two-1. Otani rolls it to the right side. It’s scooped up at first by Vargas. He’ll call off Icer. Step on the bag. Now we’ll see if the day off on Tuesday helped Mookie Bets. Dave Roberts said that it was just a mental day to give his star shorts stop a breather. Strike one called against him. He was one for 12 in Kansas City. His one hit was an RBI base hit. a game-winning knock for him against the Royals. Quickly 0 and2 and still now park adjusted OPS 100 being league average. Mookie Betts’s number is 99 this year. Certainly the toughest offensive campaign he has had in the big leagues on an 02 misses high. Dave Roberts emphatic that moving to shortstop and all the work that he’s put in there has not affected him. He just feels like this is a an adjustment year for Muki. Kind of a searching year and hopefully turn it around here in the second half and especially be ready for October. On a two- two from Ier pops one up right side foul ground. Vargas toward his own duggo. Two gone. Off days are typically around off days. So the one they give you is usually around a travel day, so you get more than one. Number 16. Well, last night there were two outs and nobody on base in the first. Will Smith came to the plate, worked a walk, and that got the Dodgers rolling their way to four two out runs. They trail one- nothing now. Bottom of the first, two outs, bases empty, and a fruit strike from Icer. The starting catcher for the National League Allstar team right here in the box at Dodger Stadium. And it is welld deserved. Third consecutive all-star game selection for Will Smith. He’s going to be the starter though in Atlanta on a chase to become the fourth full-time catcher in the National League to win a batting title. Top average, top on base percentage, one of the best clutch hitters, two strike hitters this year. Doesn’t chase, doesn’t really whiff, and when he hits the ball, he hits the ball hard. Oh, yeah. And you got that responsibility of taking care of the staff, all the meetings that he is involved in, all the studying that he is involved in prior to those meetings so that he can help lead the pitching staff. Dodgers got a lot of two out runs last night. They got a lot of two strike hits. Pitch clock violation. Or was he just saying time called by Iser? No, it was a violation. So now the count is full for Smith. And he hits this ball hard left field forget about it. Certified Allstar Will Smith. Six home runs the last couple weeks in change for Smith. A power surge. This is not a power swing, but it is a powerful swing. He just goes down and meets this ball. He started it off last night with a walk in the first inning. This one he gets to walk around the bases if he would like. Now Freddy Freeman with the game tied at one. Stars at ball one low. Freddy Freeman was 0 for four with three strikeouts last night. That home run might loosen up everybody in the stadium, on the bench, and on the field. Top of the first, a little bit tough. Everybody probably has nerves and different emotions, but now we’re playing baseball and that could loosen up Clayton when he comes out and takes the mound. Two balls in a strike on Freddy. The pitch from Meer popped up third base side. It’s a prop underneath it. That ends the first inning, but a two out solo blast from Will Smith. Ties the game. Clayton Kershaw back to the mound when we come back. Clayton Kershaw on the Dodger bullpen can strike out seven White Socks. It’ be another free Jumbo Jack waiting for you tomorrow at a Jack in the Box in LA after you buy a large drink. But I do think every Dodger fan in the world will trade all the free Jumbo Jacks in the world to just have three strikeouts instead of seven. As an ex- pitcher, I do not like the word jack because it means home run. But here tonight, yes, I’m rooting for jumbo jacks. There nearly was one, a big one for the White Socks in the first inning from Lenin Sosa, but it was caught at the wall by Michael Conforto. It’s a 1-1 ball game in the second. Bottom of the order for the White Socks. Mike Tauman, followed by Michael A. Taylor and Vinnie Capra. Swing and a miss. One and two. Clayton had seven pitches with two strikes in the first inning. Three curve balls, two sliders, and two fast balls. Let’s see what he pulls the trigger on here. Mentioned his struggles in the first inning this year. The strikeout rate in the first slightly below 12%. After the first inning, it goes up to 20. Bouncer to the right side. Kim hustles in. Gets the flip to Freddy for the first out. You can hear the audible groan from the crowd. Normally they cheer outs, but tonight they’re feeling greedy. They want a certain kind. Center number 21, Michael Taylor. There’s a lot of batters in the big leagues that even with two strikes are just looking in an area or for a certain pitch. It looks like this White Sox lineup is just looking to make contact. They don’t want to be on the other side of history. You can understand that as a competitor. Michael A. Taylor waves at strike one. There might be somebody on their roster that wants to be infamous. Taylor hits one to left field. Confolded in front of the track. Two gone. Well, last night the 27 outs recorded by Yoshino Yamamoto, Jack Dryer, and Anthony Bond. 12 were via the punch out. Eight of nine White Socks had at least one strike out. Much cleaner inning here in the second. In the first inning, Clayton’s got an RA of seven so far this year, his nine innings. And I’ll tell you what is ERA after that after the first. A 2.05. That’ll play strike one. That’s how you end up with a 157 over your last four starts and be 4-0. Curve on the outside corner. 0 and two. Spikes the ball in the dirt. Little extra effort on that one. Ground ball to short. Gobbled up by bets. Kershaw sends the White Sox down in order in the second. World champion Dodgers baseball on Sportsnet LA is brought to you by Lexus. Experience amazing. The Clayton Kershaw experience has been amazing. 18 years now. That’s a picture from May 25th, 2008. St. Louis Cardinals visiting Dodger Stadium taking on a fresh face rookie wearing number 54 in his big league debut. Struck out the very first batter that he faced. Friend of the organization, Skip Schumacher. Since become a good friend of Clayton Kershaw. And that strikeout, the video of it finds its way into Skip’s inbox at least once a month. Andy Pah pummeles a ball to dead center field and gives the Dodgers the lead. Ambushes the first pitch thrown by Burke tonight. Make it 2-1. Well, he may not be an all-star starter, but he is reminding the league, the voters, and his manager who will have a chance to be part of that equation that I should be an all-star. Boy, some kind of first half, pre-allar game stats for a young man that was worried about his job earlier in the season. Home run number 17, RBI number 58 for Andy Pahz. Muny grounds it to second. Got to be on number one. Andy Pah in right field tonight. He can play any of the outfield positions with his speed, his arm, and his accurate routes. But it’s the bat that has woken up the league in all baseball fans. Even though the arm has been a great addition and a lot of unbelievable throws and assists, it’s the bat that’s been amazing. Michael Conorto has strike one called against him. Shawn Burke scheduled bulk arm for the White Socks into his 17th appearance. This will be the third time he’s come out of the bullpen as the bulk man. Ways at strike two. Dodgers have scored eight runs in this series so far. We’re only talking about almost 11 innings, but that’s the first run that wasn’t scored with two outs by the Dodgers. The Dodgers have the best record in Major League Baseball, and that’s despite the opponent scoring first 50 times for those stairs at strike three. no stranger to comeback wins. That 50 number is the second most in Major League Baseball. Only the Rockies have had it happen more. And obviously that’s the other end of the competitive spectrum. Dodgers number one team in Major League Baseball with hitting with runners in scoring position. White Socks last. Strike one on Tommy Edmond. After going 0 for three with a couple of strikeouts last night, Tommy Edmond was grinding in cage today during batting practice with Robert Vinceok and Aaron Bates trying to groove his swing on both sides of the plate. threw a fast ball. Strike two. Started the season with such a bang. Tommy Tanks in full force and he reinjured his right ankle. And since coming back, there have been flashes, glimpses of his peak self, but hasn’t been able to sustain it just yet. on a 2-2 misses up and away. Full count. That’s on Kim with the number nine spot waiting on deck. Should the inning continue? Here comes the payoff. It is low and a two-out walk. While Edmund takes first base, we’ll listen to this word from Kia. The Kia K4 and K5 number six. Back-to-back starts for Hesson Kim is 10 of his last 13 games that he has started. 369 as a rookie. his first 38 games. Just a certain amount of energy that he brings to a game when he’s in the starting lineup, when he enters a game off the bench. And it’s not just his speed, it’s his mannerisms and his way he attacks the game. Sends one to center field. Taylor comes in and makes the catch. So Edmondsman stranded on the bases, but Andy Pes with a leadoff home run to give Clayton Kershaw a two-1 lead. Onto the third. After a 29 pitch first inning, Clayton Kershaw got through the White Sox on just 10 pitches in the second. How about the third? Strike one on the leadoff batter, Chase. My draw. At 40 pitches, you are officially into this game. I think the two to one scoreboard for the Dodgers really helps Clayton. White Socks being down might be a little bit more as far as free swinging. And Maid shoots it to right field for a lead off base hit. Majority of the hitters have gotten to two strikes, but the White Sox appear dead set. number 15 unavoided being on the other side of Clayton Kershaw’s history. Ball 68 in off the plate. They’re shortening their swings. They’re just trying to put the ball in play. I saw Mike Tauman in the last inning reach for one that was 68 in away just to roll it over to second. The Dodgers do have a two-1 lead. Pair of solo home runs. Will Smith in the first and Andy Pahz in the second. Austin Slater scored the first run of the game. One out triple and then came around on Benendy’s base hit. Seven of the first 10 hitters have gotten to two strikes. We’re still hoping for that first strike out. Very close to being eight out of 11 right there. Slider down and in. Two balls in a strike. Austin Slater was a Giant for seven years. Started with SF beginning of last season, was traded to Cincinnati, then traded a second time to Baltimore. So, three teams in 2024. signed with the White Socks in the offseason. He’s ahead three and one. His calling card has been hitting left-handed pitching, but the splits have gone the other way on him this year. I know we’re looking for strikeouts, but I’m looking for a double play on this ball. Down and in slider, roll over it. Very close. Clayton made such a good pitch, he got the swing and miss, but that’s exactly what he was looking for. Down and in, hit the top of it, hit it to Muny or to Bets and get two. He gets one more strike on that one. Eight of the first 11 White Socks in two strike counts. Kershaw’s payoff to Slater will wait. He’s thrown the slider five times in a two- strike count. The second pitch that he’s used is three times with the curve ball and two fast balls. the 3-2 and Slater charges it up to left field and no doubter halfway up the pavilion. Austin Slater turned that one around and then flipped the scoreboard upside down. 3-2 Chicago. You’ve had so many counts with two strikes and you know the story of the night is strikeouts and I think he’s gotten to the level where he’s putting a little extra effort into this slider and what happens when you throw it extra hard it does not break and it stays and looks more like a cutter than a slider and he didn’t miss it. First two reach and score for Chicago in the third. Strike one to Miguel Vargas. Back and forth to start this second game of three for the Dodgers and White Socks. 0 and2 in a hurry on Vargas. Straight through. Public enemy number one. Strikeout number one. Two to go. Number 23 is 10. on a curve ball and a good one. That was at 12 to six on a clock right on the outside corner. Ben and Tendy pulls it in the air right field. Pes hustling after him. Reaches up. Can’t make the catch. Picks it up off the warning track. Ben and Tendi is going to get to second. with a one out double. Ben and Tendy likes Slater now. Two for two. Number seven, Edo. Pitch is up. Looked like it was a slider that he was trying to throw. Another sharp one. Just didn’t get it down. Andy with a very nice effort. Whoa, whoa, whoa. That was right there. Everyone was confused. They thought that was a sure strike, but Jim Wolf disagreed. Jim Wolf, veteran umpire, but his zone has certainly been tighter for Kershaw than you might expect for somebody. Yeah, there it was not borderline left or right, but it might have been a little borderline high. Carol dumps one down the right field line for a base hit. Green light for Ben and Tendy. And the White Socks double their lead now 42. Number 50 pitches thigh high and just a nice little inside out swing. Makes the contact and puts it in the right place. You don’t accomplish what Clayton Kershaw has accomplished in his career and will continue to accomplish it if you’re not this competitive. And sometimes you wear it right there on your face with your teammates and in the midst of it, you can’t hold it back. Tell you the truth, you never want him to hold it back when you’re his teammate. And I think even as a fan, you want to see it that he cares and he wants it really bad. One-on-one out in the third. The White Socks up on the Dodgers four to two. A strike to even the count on Sosa. Sosa was a couple of feet away from putting a home run into the Dodger bullpen in the bottom or excuse me the top of the first inning. But Michael Confor made a leaping catch in front of the gate. All State good hands replay been putting in work in left field the first couple games of this series. It looks like if he doesn’t put a glove on it, it deflects off the padding into the seats to one. And that’s strike two. This will be the 13th two strike count with a shot at getting number two tonight. The 2-2 is low. The count runs full. Kershaw already with more earned runs tonight. Four prior starts. Same number. Four. The 3-2 to Carol. Fly to right. Bah has underneath it. Two gone. Number 18, Mike Tman. That’s a bunch of pitches. Second inning great, but the other two innings tough ones to carry that load for a while. just 69 pitches to get through six innings against the Rockies in Denver last Thursday. He’s approaching that total here in the third. First pitch curve and strike one on Mike Tauman. Sky to left. Routine for Conford. A runner stranded, but the White Sox put up a crooked number. A three spot in the third inning. Take a 4-2 lead on the Dodgers. World champion Dodgers baseball on Sports Net LA is brought to you by Carl Jr. Carl’s Jr. Sourdough Star is back in the burger lineup for a limited time. Don’t lie, you know you missed it. And we have missed these two gentlemen, especially the men on the left, Sandy Kofax and Clayton Kershaw. Since putting on Dodger uniforms, they’ve been two of the most impactful Dodgers ever. This is on the day that they unveiled Sandy statue. And the guy standing next to Sandy, Clayton Kershaw, will have one of those someday. Dodgers left-handed legends. That number will have some company one day. 32 and 22. The Dodgers trail 4-2. Bottom of the third, top of the order. Tani Betts and Smith. Show’s 0 for one. Grounded out to first. Skyhigh popup beyond the infield on the left hand side. Called off by number 50. When the Dodgers are swinging the lumber, the focus is on Muki. The focus is on Freddy at the top of this lineup. Show has been swinging the bat well, but the next two guys are the people that really want to get it going and their teammates are pulling for them. They’re watching them work at it every day and they’re hoping they find it soon. That’s popped out. See Vargas at first. Lick 96 up and in. Bends it back. Licky with that extra protection up there by his face. Glad he has it here with this chin music. You don’t want to be that close to the band. Here comes the 1-1. Bets can’t check his swing. This aggression is the adrenaline from the knockdown pitch prior that you really want to get back in there and not be scared is get after it. And one way to get back after it is to get in there and to hack instead of trying to read to make sure you’re going to be safe. It’s like attack the ball. This is a guy who take hundreds of hacks in the cage each and every day trying to groove his swing. Pitch clock violation on the White Socks. It happened in the first inning. Brandon Icard against Will Smith and then Smith promptly tied the game with a home run on the next offering. See what Betts does against Burke. Left center field. Taylor comes on. Cords out number two. Number 16, Will Smith. Smith hit his 11th home run of the season with two outs in the first inning. Five home runs his last 11 games played. Two outs. Nice smooth swing. Puts the Dodgers on top. Broken bat center field. It will drop. Smith two for two. The NL batting leader. Chris Taylor no longer here, but barrels are overrated. Whole lot of hand shaking going on when Chris was here and the Dodgers had a good laugh about broken bat hits. Continues the third inning. The man Clayton Kershaw has said has been the most active in letting him know how close he’s been getting to 30,000. That’s Freddy Freeman. The Dodgers down by a pair. You can bet number five is looking to pick up number 22 waiting in the dugout. When Will Smith hit his home run, it was the 44th multi home run game for the Dodgers this year. They are 34 and9 when they hit more than one home run. So odds are being the comeback team that they are and they’ve hit two home runs already, pretty good chance they’re still going to win this game. Three and 0 for Freeman. And Andy Pahus, who’s already gone deep tonight, he’s waiting in the wings. Two out, Smith on first. A three 0 to Freddy Freeman holds and that catches the bottom of the zone for strike one. He had the green light but it wasn’t in the area that he wanted. It was the pitch he wanted the fast ball but it wasn’t in the right location. It was a great take. Takes again. Strike called again. Three and two. It is interesting that a rookie on the mound in Burke decorated veteran at the plate in Freeman reversed the last half inning with Kershaw and Carol strikes the calls went the rookie way. Tipped in and out of the glove. Normally it’s the other way around. Yeah, it is. As far as the culture, you’re right. And right there, the veteran Freddy Freeman kind of scolding himself that he went outside the strike zone on that 3-2 pitch. That was a good 8 in over into the right hand batters box. Fortunate to foul Tippet on a 3-2 from Burr. Freeman strikes out swinging. Fast ball off the plate at 98. Smith is stranded. The Dodgers still down by two. Flash it back to April 17th, 2013. The Dodgers and Padres’s here in LA. Clay K Clayton Kershaw at 999 strikeouts. And there was number 1,000. Yonder Alonzo struck out swinging. Get Kershaw at a 1K. He is two strikeouts away from 30,000. A dozen years later base 89 and one for the White Socks. Top of the fourth, strike one on Michael A. Taylor. Talked to Yonder Alonzo the other day, former teammate at MLB Network. Said the Hall of Fame actually took his bat, his jersey, and his helmet from that game. They threw 0 and2 for Kershaw against Taylor. But facing Kershaw was like facing a pitching god. The only guy that gave him the feeling going back to the dugout. I just want to face him again. So I have more stories to tell my kids about facing the great Clayton Kershaw on an O2 to Taylor. Kershaw misses upstairs. We got to this one two count with a slider, a splitter, and a fast ball up. downstairs. Two and two. The pitch, skips off the plate. Now the count runs full. So from 02 to 3-2, Dodgers down 4-2 has been Kershaw’s best night, but Dodger Stadium trying to pick him up ahead of this payoff pitch. Tapped off the plate. The White Socks again, Oral showing they do not want to go down via the K. The slider has mounted the most strikeouts, but tonight they are five for nine off that pitch. He’s thrown 10 in two strike counts. That’s foul. Still three and two. The 11th in two strike counts. On the eighth pitch, Kershaw misses with a curve and loses Taylor to a leadoff walk. It’s a good pitch. It’s a strikeout pitch, but Taylor does not bite at it. Number 41, Vinnie Chapra. Bottom of the order. Vinnie Kra lays down a bunt. Fielded by Kershaw. He’s only going to get one. It’s the out at first base. Clayton Kershaw has already tied his season high or in whiffs. 12 swings and misses with seven hits allowed and only one strikeout. Zack Bun flips the lineup over to the local product Myroth. He was one for two. Singled scored his last time up in the third. The White Sox scored three to take the lead. Kershaw looks back at Taylor. comes home to my draw. Misses in the dirt. Two outs to go in this inning. Two strikeouts away from 3,000. 74 pitches. Might be getting close to the last opportunity. But Dave Roberts did say in his presser before the game that he would manage this game slightly different for the home crowd and for Clayton the two on to Maidra it over the net foul two and two so much of the Dodger philosophy is to play the long game especially with their starting pitcher ers and with their relievers. And so when you look at 76 pitches, they might be going well past that tonight. Drops the glove down and we’ll keep Taylor on us at second base. Playing a little bit more of the short game tonight. Looking for three strikeouts. Chop to the left side. And Muny charges and throws on the run in time to get my draw. Taylor does have to hold on second base. That’s a six game home stand and this is the second game of six. So the next start for Kershaw would be on the road in Milwaukee. That is the place where he recorded his 2000th strikeout against Jonathan VR. Strike one fouled into the seats by Austin Slater. Took one to the pavilion and gave the White Sox the lead. A two-run blast back in the third. at strike two. 12th White Sock batter who has reached a two strike count. Clayton looking to punch out his second one. His 80th pitch of the night. Popped high into the air. Shallow right field. Andy Pah has lost the ball but then rediscovered it in time to make the catch for the final out of the fourth inning. So no strikeouts, but more importantly for Kershaw and the Dodgers, no runs across. It’s 4-2 Chicago in the middle of the fourth. Light up your night for a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display presented by Budweiser. That’ll be on July 4th, of course. For tickets and information, visit dodgers.com/promotions. Ball one low and away to Andy Pahz. And you can understand why Shawn Burke was being a little bit more careful against the Dodgers Slugger because the first pitch he threw tonight, he came out of the bullpen in the second inning. Bahas took him deep. Broken bat roller to the right side. Max Buny for a second time. Oh, he’s 0 for one with a ground out. 0 for four in this series. That has not diminished his worthy candidacy for an All-Star game selection. We’ll see if that comes to fruition. Manny Machado was voted in as the starter. There’s so many guys on this Dodger roster that deserve a shot at the All-Star game, but you always have to remember that rule where every team has to have a representative. Balling a strike on Max here in the fourth. There’ll be some player voting for the next guys that get named the league office, the commissioner, and then the managers will have an opinion. off the end of the bat to short. Have having Dave Roberts as the skipper will help us lean a little bit closer to the Dodgers. These are the National League starters for the All-Star game in Atlanta on the infield. Will Smith and Freddy Freeman. Duh. Chel Marte has been unbelievable for the Diamondbacks and the Snakes have been bitten a ton by the injury bug, but he has been true. Manado third and Francisco Lindor at short representing the New York Mets. Michael Conforto swings at the first pitch and pops it up. And that’s a quick one, two, three inning for Shawn Burke. Scoreless fourth. Still 4-2. Clayton Kershaw stays in the ball game for the fifth. World Champion Dodgers baseball on Sports Net LA is brought to you by your Southern California Toyota dealers. Top of the fifth, Kershaw to Vargas. Strike one. taking Kershaw. He’s given up four runs. He’s recorded just one strikeout. So he’s now two away from 30,000. Taken to left field by Harvest. No balls for Conford. It hasn’t been the fairy tale outing that everybody was hoping for or perhaps expecting of the future Hall of Famer, but that is baseball. And so now he’s trying to grind through and give his team a chance to win because as we both know, we all know with Clayton Kershaw, that’s his main focus. He’s getting the wins, the W’s, not the K’s. His priority has always been to be out there as long as possible for his team to compete and give them a chance to win. And if he can be out there the whole time and post the W to right center hangs up for Tommy Edmond. And Tendy is retired. Two gone in the fifth. A strike out right here in four or five pitches would probably keep him in the game. He joked after his last outing in Colorado, my days of throwing 115 pitches are probably done. How about number 85? The first to Edgar Carroll. Slider down and in. Ball one. That headshake you see when he throws ball one is all about his priority list of getting strike one. The deeper you get into your career and the more you know your stuff is getting a little shorter, you understand that the basics of baseball become even a larger priority. And so pitchers counts and especially strike one big time keys. Three and 0 on the rookie. Oo, strike one call. pitch off the plate and Carol at Arley tossed the bat toward his own dugout thinking that was a four pitch walk. He might get strike two here on the pitch clock if he doesn’t get back in there quick. It’s that veteran to rookie culture you’ve been talking about a little earlier in the game. Finally happened. Base hit in the left center. The fifth will continue. Second baseman Lady Sosa. Edgar Caro is three for three. Three base hits. He’s on with two out in the fifth. White Sox already up 4-2. And now we see first activity in the Dodger bullpen. Alex Vesia just got up. One of the few times in your career for Alex Vesia that you’re actually disappointed to get up in the bullpen. You would rather hear that phone ring and it’s we don’t need anybody tonight. We got this one. Or you know what? He’s accomplished his goal. Time to get him up. You get up and we’ll get him out of there. The foul ball. Another strike. 0 and2. Punch out here might keep him in the game. That’s exactly what Dodger Stadium wants. Strike three. Swinging. One more to go. The Dodgers within two, the White Sox four. Clayton Kershaw within one of 3,000. Bottom of the fifth. Tommy Edmond to kick things off. All eyes were on Clayton and Dave Roberts in between innings. Clayton left the dugout, went down the tunnel towards the locker room. Dave Roberts slightly faked us out as he followed him later in the half inning in between, but stopped halfway at the water jug and got a couple glasses of water and came back to his perch. then flashes bunt, pulls it back. Two and one. Let’s go down to Kirsten Watson who has a perfect view next to the Dodger dugout. Yeah, Stephen. Well, to make that just kind of scene even better. So, Freddy Freeman, Kik Hernandez, Maxy. They were staring at Dave Roberts like, is he going to be able to go back out? What are you going to do? Of course, he was talking to Conor McInness, going over a few things, and Dave Roberts just looked over at them and he smiled and he gave him a thumbs up and they had the biggest smiles on their faces cuz they are so excited for Clayton just to have the opportunity to get to go back out there, guys. That is an awesome story from down there, Kirsten. Thanks so much. That just illustrates, you know, those guys are his teammates. Those are fierce competitors as well, but tonight more like fans. Yeah, I really believe that uh Clayton has permission to celebrate this indiv individual achievement because of his teammates, because of his managers, and guys like Freddy who have reminded him every time he strikes somebody out as he’s gotten closer this year how far away he is to the exact number. All those guys and your dear friend Rick Honeyut, they’ve all said the same thing. You know, there was a time when 3,000 strikeouts for Clayton Kershaw that it seemed like a no-brainer and then the injury bug bit and then it bit again and again and each time he has clawed his way back to the mound and reinvented himself and found ways to stay elite and keeping the other team off the board and winning baseball games. And so now they’re all just so thrilled that and emotional that he just has the chance to do it. and the way he’s thrown the ball the last four starts. You were kind of due for a little hiccup, 4-0 with a 157 coming into this game in the last four starts. The strikeouts were almost a strikeout an inning. But here we are going into the sixth and he only has two tonight. But Dave Roberts smile to Clayton’s teammates tells him that he’s going to be back out there. reemerges in the Dodger dugout. Now watching a one-two pitch to Hesson Kim. Another one shot foul. Field this a two-run ball game here at Dodger Stadium. Kim trying to set the table for Otani in the top of the order. Here comes the two- two pitch. That’s another one foul. Another two- two off the glove. A capry third and as Kim reaches and brings the tying run to the plate. One-on-one, one out in the fifth. The Dodgers down by a pair. Show Ultani stands in. Joe hunting his first hit of the ball game. His 30th home run of the season last night. He’s outpacing last year. 30 home runs through 86 team games in 2025 compared to 27 a year ago. Old foul on the first base side. being mindful to Speedy Kim on first base who’s perfect on the base path this year between Triple A and the Major leaves 20 for 20. Otani represents a tying run. One on, one out in the fifth. And here’s the one-1 pitch. Basketball upstairs. Kim running. Carol throwing. He’s safe. It’s bang bang down there. And it looks like he gets his hand in. White Socks are saying play on. This is about the closest it’s been all year for him as far as being thrown out. He’s safe now. Eight for eight with the big club in scoring position with only one out. Three balls in a strike for Shill. That’s a rifle down the line. It is foul. Just a little out in front of the breaking ball and it this is a home run by about 15 ft. A scary strike for Shawn Burke. Has the count full now. The payoff damned him popped in the shallow center by Droth. Squeezes out number two. It’ll be up to Mookie Betts. Short stop. Alex Vesio was up earlier. Now it’s Lou Trevino as you just saw a glimpse of Clayton Kershaw in the dugout. He is at least going to come out in the top of the sixth. Mound visit from Carol with Burke. We’re going to listen to this word from Archer Jerky. Fuel your game day with Archer Jerky and Meat Sticks. Find them at grocery and club stores near you. Dodger fans, get loud now. Kim is the first Dodger in scoring position tonight. Both their runs scored with home runs. Bomb one down and in on Betts. He like Botani of so far tonight. Pop out to first and a fly out to center field. Dodgers efering another comeback. On the ground of third takes his time and makes a good throw. That ends the fifth inning. Still 4-2 White Socks. Chicago has a lefty leading off the next inning. Clayton Kershaw will face him. The sun is setting on Dodger Stadium and it is setting on Clayton Kershaw’s outing. He is one strikeout away from 3000. He’s at 92 pitches. He will face a lefty, Mike Tman, leading off the six. Strike one. He’s not gone over a 100 pitches since June of 2023. Grounded to the right side. Fielded by Freeman. Kershaw covers the bag. One out in the six and Dave Roberts. Michael A. Taylor is not budging from the top step. He was true to his word from his presser earlier. the room was full and he said he would manage this game differently. His reaction after the ball left the bat of Tman, I looked over at Doc and he dropped his hands. One Hall of Famer sticking with another line down the line. It’s a fair ball into the left field corner. Dug out by Conorto. It’s a one out double for Michael A. Taylor base. A double that usually maybe would get him removed from the game, but this is a different day, a different game. Getting tougher with every pitch. Pitch 97. The first toy to pry. Runner goes. The tower dropped down in time. And now Muny grabbing his knee. Oh no. The swing of emotions in this Dodger Stadium crowd. You just hope that it’s the nerves that are hurting him so bad and that there’s no damage. Stadium chanting my Max is one of the toughest customers there is. him to be agonizing like that. We haven’t shown you a replay because the knee pretty much goes the opposite way and it’s a It’s a tough injury to watch. Maxy being helped off the field by Thomas Albert and Aaron Bates. The pitch was called a ball. I think it was a strike. The snap throw from Will Smith was outstanding. The tag from Max, unbelievable. Now you just hope for the best. But the way he was helped off the field and how gingerly he couldn’t put any weight on that leg does not look good. Maxy has been one of the more valuable pieces this Dodger organization certainly this year for some time now. the third base. Helped off the field. Kik Hernandez will take his place at third. Two outs in the top of the six, but again, based on the judgment of our crew, we’re not going to show you the replay of Maxy’s injury at third base. We can just hope and pray that it’s not as bad as it look. Curve ball down and inside. A ball and a strike on the number nine hitter. Capra Clayton Kershaw. Two pitches away from 100. One strike out away from 30,000. One and two. The ravine rises ready to erupt. 3K for Caro. Heat up here. We’re looking for his players at the time. defense. The 20th pitcher in baseball history, the fourth left-handed pitcher, but only the third to record 3,000 career strikeouts with one team. Clayton Edward Kershaw history. An emotional time for everyone. I’m sure many of his teammates holding back tears as we are here in the booth. fortunate to be here for this. One strikeout that released 2,999 emotions and the embrace between Clayton Kershaw and Dave Roberts. At the start of the six, the thought probably was for most one more batter, the lefty and he grounded out. Doc stayed with him after a hit. Doc stayed with him after the injury to Max Muny. Doc stayed with him. It was on his slider. It wasn’t a swing and miss. It wasn’t a chase. It was back door on the corner. They’re asking for a curtain call here in Dodger Stadium. I don’t know if Clayton is going to go see Max or he’s going to come back out to the crowd. The staff pours out of the clubhouse and the offices to share in the celebration. There was one more box to check for this beautiful man in this beautiful sport in this beautiful stadium. And what a wonderful career. It’s not over yet, but this is pretty much the last box that he needed to check. Two major surgeries, a long rehab, over 20 strikeouts he needed, and he got 3,000 tonight. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. You got words, partner? Cuz I don’t. I just think it’s magnificent that it happened at home and now he’s waving to his family. That is the good stuff. The no hitter was here at Dodger Stadium. The two world championships were on the road, but 3000 was also here. What a game. What a place. What a pitcher. Now the only thing that’s left or is the Dodger comeback. Three runs and get him a W. ball and two strikes on Will Smith. He’s two for two. Solo home run tied the game at one in the first and he singled in the third. Look out. Smith wears it. Leadoff man aboard in the bottom of the six. Will has reached all three times in the first with the home run in the third with the broken bat to center field for a base hit. And now one clips him. Smith has reached in six of seven plate appearances in this series. That’s why he’s leading the way in on base percentage among all National League hitters. Freddy Freeman back up. There is the potential tying run for the Dodgers. 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Base hit right field. Tying runs aboard. right field. He searched for a ball off the plate in his last at bat and struck out. This one was off the plate slightly but still able to pull it strong enough to right field into that hole. Two-1, nobody out for Andy PZ. Berg’s first pitch. Pave pulverizes it center field, but it dies in front of the track. His reaction off the bat, I thought he got it, but it’s just ultimately out number one. Smith does advance to third. That’s a tough one for me. Little up breaking ball. It looked like a slider or a cutter that got half barrel and half off the end. And that’s why everybody’s heart wanted it to leave here. Now, Kik Hernandez, who took over after Maxy’s injury in the last half inning, he now has his first trip to the plate. first and third. One out. So, we’re going to miss strike one. Kik and Clay Clayton very close veteran friends been together a long time and Kik would love to go deep for the big fella to check his swing. Uh but the appeal down to first as he went around 0 and two. It might have been a check but in trying to get out of the way it brings the bat forward. That one can burn you as a hitter. self-preservation made that bat go around on an 02 pitch. DK waves at strike three. That’s out number two. First two on next two out now Michael Confordto. Two on, two out. Chops it on the first base side, but it’s fouled. Strike one. Dodger left fielder 0 for two. It was Burke’s first strikeout of the ball game. Came back in the second inning. White Sox went with the opener and Brandon Iser. Shawn Burke Smith on third. Freeman the runner on first. Those are the tying runs. And Porto at the plate waiting on an 01. Good pitch. Better take from Conforto. Two balls at the strike. Nice hitters count for a power hitter. Looking for something firm on the inner half to launch and it’s in the air. Tailing foul. Two and two. Cordo the last couple of weeks has made all kinds of changes. Opened his stance, added a leg kick, added some new bats, tailor made custom for him. Anything and everything to spark his first season as a Dodger. Two on, two out. Two balls and two strikes. That’s ball three. That’s important with 322 out. Get the runner going at first base and score on a double. Here comes the payoff. The runners go. Confoto strikes out swinging. Burke lets out a roar as he strands the tying runs in the six. We go to the seventh. The Dodgers still down four to2. Let’s take a look at the performance spotlight brought to you by Nissan. Tough choice, huh? Congratulations, Clayton. Welld deserved. Earned it all tonight. It took a while. It took some effort, but you got it done in front of your family and the beautiful home crowd. Look at those custom hats. The kids are wearing C3K Clayton 3000. All kinds of references there with those three. Is this well done? Very well done. So Lou Trevino enters. They hold the line and keep the deficit at two. The final line for Clayton Kershaw. Six innings, four earned runs on nine hits and a walk, but three strikeouts. Put him into the 30,000 strikeout club. Three strikeouts down, four to go to get you Jumbo Jacks tomorrow in Los Angeles. We’re going to need a Dodger comeback in this game just to have a second highlight. Energy in the stadium is still good. They still want to see it because you’ve got the the team that has come back the most in Major League Baseball this year. They have been down like this. They have scored in all three segments of the game throughout the year. First three innings, second three innings, third three innings. They score at any time and in bunches two tapper back to the mound picked up cleanly by Tino and Mroth is retired. Morango would like a word. Flamingo Friday, SoCal’s number one nighttime pool party. Morango number 15, Austin Slater. Got an interesting note from our counterpart in the Washington Nationals booth, Kevin Franson. And Franny said, “How about Dave Roberts? Played in the same game Barry Bonds at 756, now manages game, which Clayton Kershaw hits 30,000 KS. He’s seen some things.” He sure has. That’s some serious experience. ball and two strikes for Trevino against Austin Slater. Heat. Heat. Oh, nearly strike three instead. Ball three and a full count. Looks like it clipped the zone. It was well caught by Will Smith. Just didn’t get the call. Strike with ABS. Popped up. Milky going back from short. Confo running in from left and it’s Conford’s ball to gone. First base number 20 Miguel Vargas. Good first pitch from Trevino to jump ahead of Vargas. They’re setting the table on offense and they’re setting the table on defense. A three up, three down inning right here. Could set the table for a comeback toward the line and right. Pah is there and makes the catch. A 1237 for L Tino. Stand and stretch. It’s time for the seventh inning stretch brought to you by Sit and Sleep, SoCal’s most trusted mattress store. World Champion Dodgers baseball on Sports Net LA is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com. Discover movement that inspires. That word inspires or I want to hang on that for a moment because all of Clayton Krushaw’s teammates, they’ve called him an inspiration. He is the most accomplished player on the Dodgers roster and yet the hardest worker and the teammate that has the most fun. They the way he goes about his baseball business is how it should be. There are points during the season and points during a career where you really verify that you are a hard worker. The day game after the night game and you pitched in the night game, what time do you come to the park? What time do you start your workout? What workout do you do? What kind of effort and concentration do you have during that workout? Slow roller right side and Edmond’s going to reach as Sosa couldn’t pick it up. Clayton is so meticulous with his workouts and with his regimen and the timing that he does it and showing up and being consistent that that just exudes out of him and that you cannot help but notice the effort, the concentration, the time that he does it. And when you have an excuse on the road, time change, long plane flight, got in late, day game after a night game, he was always there doing his work. Dodgers again bring the tying run to the plate with Hesson Kim. Otani lurking Dodger Stadium. A glass case of emotions tonight. The thrill of seeing Clayton Kershaw reach 3,000 at home. Look up at the scoreboard. Team is trailing. Watch Max Muny go down with a pretty scary injury to his left knee. Had to be helped off the field. So, the only thing that will help push emotions to the happy side of the scale, a few more runs. Delayed strike two call. Clayton’s teammates. It’s rare that you get to play with a guy who’s going to have a statue. And it is very, very special then to be on the team, an active team member when history is made. And it’s made at home. And it includes curtain calls and it includes a lot of work. Wasn’t the most perfect night, but it was the most perfect result, reaching 3,000. having his whole family in the stands, Ellen and the four kids, and one more on the way. It’s a beautiful picture and it’ll even be more beautiful if we can get a Dodger comeback. Thank you to Dave Roberts for leaving him in. Thank you, Doc, for that tough decision. That was like managing with a no hitter going. The third strikeout came on Clayton Kershaw’s 100th pitch. First time getting to the century mark in pitches in a single game since June of 2023 and then two years ago. Burke looks back at Edmond deals to Kim and Hessan shoots it to left center but it’s run down. With this man coming to the plate, he could change this stat I’m going to give you. The Dodgers are one for nine with men on base and 0 for five with runners in scoring position. Of course, Edmond’s not in scoring position, but the guy in the box, he is as soon as he gets up there. He was 0 for 10 entering his at bat last night in which he launched his 30th home run. He’s 0 for three tonight. way high. Two balls, no strikes. Clayton Kershaw will not record a fifth straight win. The Dodgers have a chance to take him off the hook for his first loss. He’s the only pitcher in Major League Baseball as we sit here right now with at least eight starts and no losses on his record. Big hack, no contact. Two one. Big respect two breaking ball trying to preserve the White Sock lead. On a two-1 pitch, Otani is jammed, tries to fight it to right field. It bloops down for a hit. Dodgers now two for 10 with men on base and push Edmond into scoring position with this blooper. tying runs on base in the bottom of the seventh. One out and Muki bets at the plate. It’s been a minute since we’ve had a Mookie moment. Edmond on second, Otani on first. The 01 pitch. The Bets pushed it in the air to right field. Caught by Tauman. Two down. Edmond will tag and head to third. The Dodgers take on the Astros for an exciting three-game series starting July 4th. Stay for the postgame fireworks. Visit dodgers.com/promotions. Will Smith Will Smith has reached in all three trips to the plate. Six out of seven times in this series, his homer is singled and his last time up he was hit by a pitch. Entered this series hitting 419 with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers have leaned on him, counted on him, and it seems like more often than not, he has come through for you. Those numbers on your screen right there, 419, first in Major League Baseball, runners in scoring position. Crazy good. That’s why he’s starting the All-Star game behind the plate. on the first pitch from Burke. Smith holds the trigger and Burke drops a strike at the bottom of the zone. Bring the action. Dodgers looking for their first hit tonight with a runner in scoring position. 0 for six. Right man in the right spot. Up and in. One and one. That take was the continuation of a hot streak. When guys are hot, they want to swing the bat. They feel like the ball looks like a beach ball. But that was a good take at a pitch that looked nice and juicy to him. Another one. You see Carol telling Burke, “Hey, take a deep breath. Calm down.” The right-hander approaching 90 pitches. The bulk guy came in for the second inning. gave up a leadoff home run to Andy Pahes, but the Dodgers haven’t pushed anything across against him since. A roller to the right side. Sosa over and up to make the play. So, the Dodgers strand two more on base. Still coming up empty with men on and men in scoring position. World champion Dodgers baseball on Sports Net LA is brought to you by Jack in the Box. Get so much more in the new T pay Munchy Meal. Couldn’t ask for more. Clayton Kershaw from Dodger Stadium. Dave Roberts. The White Sox on the other side as well. Three he needed, he got 3,000 Hall of Fame career. Now another lefty enters for the Dodgers. It’s Alex Vesia for the top of the eighth. White Socks four, the Dodgers two. It was great that Clayton got three strikeouts, got 3,000. It was also even better that it was the last out of an inning and they got to have a celebration that was welld deserved. Four, five, and six scheduled hitters for Chicago in the top of the eighth as they effort insurance runs. Two strike pitch sent to left. It’ll hang up for Conford. First out of the eighth. Let’s go down and check in with Kirsten Watson. Thanks, Stephen. know, we obviously all saw Maxy leave the game in that sixth inning with a pretty scary knee injury, but the Dodgers have reported at this moment that he left the game with left knee pain. So afterwards, we should hear more on the report and just how he’s doing, guys. That was a considerable amount of pain for Maxy was helped off the field. Thanks, Kirsten, for the update and can’t wait. We’re also scared for the postgame update. Yeah, when an injury and a replay is is too strong to show, you’re going to need some hopes and some prayers that Max is not severely hurt. Just to see him go down like that, given the month and a half run that he has been on, an absolute terror. Mhm. Whether he is hitting for a high average in power or whether he is hot, cold or whatever, he is a emotional leader in that clubhouse. Oh, one of the compasses of emotions. So, yeah, everybody celebrating Clayton, but their hearts were definitely touched thinking about Max and hoping he is okay. four pitch walk to the rookie Carol who has reached all four times tonight. Carol was one for his last 18 coming into today. Three base hits and now a walk. You don’t have to look back very far to know that this Dodger offense can come back with six outs. They got four runs in the first inning last night with two outs. Two outs on the board, one out to go and they got four. So, this game is still in balance. What they’re looking for is getting some guys in scoring position next inning and it may be the ninth and changing the 0 for seven with runners in scoring position. Well, they’ve relied on the long ball tonight. Solo home runs from Smith and Pahes. One-on-one, one out in the eighth. The 02 Ben Sosa back way high from Vesia at 93. The offense last night, they they they hit with two strikes. They hit with two outs. They scored runs with two outs. They hit with runners in scoring position. They were four for six last night with runners in scoring position. So, need to turn that 0 for seven around the night. All three up and in. If you’re at home watching a game, do you do you ever jump when you see one going at a at a hitter like that? I definitely tighten up. Yeah. Shoulder shoulder moves a little bit. Yeah. I still do that. I also drop my head when I think a hitter has hit a ball hard enough to be a home run. The way I used to drop my head on the mound. Bas 3-2 to Sosa. Cut on and miss. Strike three. Alex Vessia’s special tool, his magic sauce is the ball maintaining its altitude. And look at how level that fast ball. It doesn’t go down. Gravity has less effect on his fast ball than a lot of them. And that’s what fools the hitters. That spin rate is excellent. Strike one on Mike Tauman. Swings through another Vesia fast ball at 93. One more out to get in the top of the eighth. 42. The White Socks lead the Dodgers. Jack swing. Did he go? Yes, he did. Heat. Heat. Does he go with the high cheese or did they try and make him chase the breaking ball? It’s like a fast ball target. Yep. Was 95 maybe. I think we’re past the steroid generation. I think I can say that ball was juiced. to do it again. Went to the slider and got strike three. Back-to-back caves from Vesia to strand the one out walk and keep it a two-run ball game. World Champion Dodgers baseball on Sports Net LA is brought to you by Shaky’s Pizza Parlor. Serving up handcrafted pizza, crispy fried chicken, and famous mojo potatoes for 70 years. Dodgers down four to two. Six more outs to play with at the plate. Get ready for some high velocity. The right arm of Grant Taylor comes out of the Dodger or excuse me, the White Sox bullpen. Freeman, Pahz, and Kik Hernandez do up. Freddy, one for three, had a single, his last trip up there in the sixth. Pulls a fly ball to right, but on a line to Tman. Major League Baseball is taking over the ATL with the game’s biggest events. The action begins with the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Then catch the 95th MLB All-Star game presented by Mastercard the next night. De Oscar Hernandez, the defending champion, has already said he will not compete in this year’s edition. course. Neither will Shay Otani bases cleared, one out in the eighth. Andy Pahz follow up that solo home run leading off the second. That was the last Dodger run. 100 from Taylor. He thought that was strike three. It’s two and two. The big fella has the over-the-top delivery. A lot of that’s from the spine angle change. It’s not really his arm and shoulder going up. That’s as much of his spine angle changing to make it look like he’s straight over the top. On a 2-2, stays alive with the foul ball. You know, the Dodgers got six runs last night off of Jean Smith. That was more runs allowed in one game than the entire staff gave up in a three-game series against the Giants. The White Sox can pitch, especially out of their bullpen, and they’ve been much better of late. This whole team, when you when you look at how they perform at home compared to how they perform on the road, they actually perform a little bit better on the road individually. I think because of the crowds and the energy, the record is not I mean equate with oh they play better on the road, but individually you can see guys that are inspired by having full houses and going to better venues. Kik Hernandez shoots strike one foul over the head of Chris Woodward at first base. Kik’s felt good about the passes of late swings that he’s had up there. Goes back to the day the Dodgers saw McKenzie Gore breakout lefties for the Washington Nationals. had a deep fly out in Kors Field. Hit a home run in Kansas City. So, just trying to get back on track. Oh, strike three call. The hund looked inside off the plate. Jim Wolf rung them up. It’s a 1238. The Dodgers and White Sox go to the ninth. Still 4-2. World champion Dodgers baseball on Sportsnet LA is brought to you by Morango Casino Resort and Spa. Celebrating 20 years of good times and by your Southern California Ford dealers. Check out the full lineup of stylish and powerful trucks and SUVs. It’s time to see Ford in a new light. Will Klein comes out of the Dodger pin for the top of the ninth face and one for the White Socks. came back up to join the big club after Michael Copek was placed on the injured list with some knee inflammation. See the Dodgers say and hope it’s just precautionary really. You have some irritation in the lower half as a pitcher. it can creep up into your arm because it changes your mechanics. Changes the way you fire your body in the sequencing. And so, yeah, when you say uh precautionary, it’s not that he probably couldn’t pitch, but maybe some things might have gotten altered if he did. And you really watch that and especially with a flamethrowing righty check swing and he went around. McKay kicks off Klein’s night. It’s three in a row for the Dodger pen. Two for Alex Vessie and then one for Klein. You got to start it to catch up to the fast ball. And if you get the string pulled on you with a breaking ball, you’re going to be out front. Dodgers lose one hardthrowing righty. They replace him with another incline. Consider Josh Rojos. Quickly 0 and two. Padres’s played a double header in Philadelphia and they split those two games with the Phillies. Two and two for Klein against Rojos. The Giants and Dback still going. They’re an in extra inning. 6-5 San Francisco. The Diamondback scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to push that game to the tip. Ground ball into the glove of Klein. Well picked and played. The first 40,000 fans take home a special Ron bobblehead. And that’ll be on July 18th. Presented by Bank of America. Visit dodgers.com/promotions for more details. White Sox flip the lineup over one more time. Chase my draw. Fast ball just missed for Klein. Foul ball off of Smith. He’s okay. You saw Will Klein’s reaction to that. He was he was worried for the back stop. Yes. We don’t need any more injuries tonight. No. We’re at the portion of this game at let’s get this part over with and get to a possible exciting bottom of the ninth. Souvenir fouled away by my drop. One and two in the bottom of the ninth will be the bottom of the Dodger order. 78 and nine. fast ball upstairs. Count squares up. It’s a roller up the line. It will get fouled. Base hit or foul ball. Foul ball. Well done by Kik. Don’t brush at that and hit it over. If you hit it into foul territory far farther, what if the umpire makes a wrong call? Or what if the ball kicks and gets on the line right as you’re about to do it? Just pick it up in foul territory. Idro shown how pesky of a hitter he is. his calling card coming up as a prospect. Controls the strike zone the minor leagues in on base percentage a year ago. This be the ninth pitch that he sees from climb. Foul ball back toward our booth above our booth. It’s a rarity to have it go above our booth. It is a big time big league foul ball. I got you if it comes in here. You better than EK. 99. And that glanced off of my draw. The 10th pitch hits him. One tough son of a gun to take that. gets a little bat and some hand. Oh, got all wrist. We’re flinching at home again. Yeah, no kidding. South Bay Kid stands on first with two outs in the ninth. The mountain visit from Will Smith. by the way EK the spare was all in justest of course was in the building tonight Keros to see Clayton Kershaw’s push for 3000 also Chase Maidroth best friends with his boys Kyle and Jared Keros was there like some free swag tonight. Is that why EK came? I’m gonna plead the fifth on that one. He bobblehead. There was Namoto bobblehead, but that you know the free stuff he’s he’s out of the he’s cut from the Tommy Lorta Claus. If it’s free, it’s me. E, I swear I didn’t pay Oral to say that. EK, I swear. Two outs and a runner on first. Klein will keep my draw close to the bag. Strike two at top the zone. They got my draw. A throw down to second. The tag not in time. Klein saw him going. He went to first. Freddy’s throw to Kim there. We’ll see if the Dodgers want to challenge. It’s a really hard play for a pitcher because you got him picked off. Headsets. You want to step off and then get him in a rundown. So you throw the ball in front of him. They’re going to check it. Freddy Freeman with a great quick release. Kim with the tag. It’s Los Angeles is challenging. The safe call at second base. Well, the ninth inning, you can’t take them home with you. The challenge. Yeah. So, your first baseman and your middle infielders, when the runner has that kind of a jump as far as being picked off, they’re supposed to yell, and they do, step off, step off, and then you throw the ball in front of the runner. But if your reaction as a pitcher is, I’ve got them picked off, and you can’t hear the step off, step off, you’re throwing behind him, and then it’s up to your first baseman like Freddy did. such a great job of quick release, accurate throw, get the tag down. We’ll see what the replay conclusion is. Couple of rookies convening off second base. Watching the replays on Dodger Vision. Paul will rest with the replay operations center in New York City. And the call on the field that my drop was safe. I think he might be off and the glove might still be on his knee. If we see it one more time and see the glove is on the knee. Watch the glove still on the left knee. It’s still on and he is off the bag right there. It is so close. Gosh. Is it going to be a reverse or a stand? Let’s get the call. After review, the call on the field stands. The runner is safe. Los Angeles will lose their challenge. Just not enough evidence. Enough for your heart not to change the call. 11th stolen base from my drawth. An insurance run in scoring position for Chicago in the ninth. Two strike count for Will Klene against Austin Slater. And after all that, Klein says enough. Blows 99 by Slater. Bottom of the ninth, bottom of the order, looking to rally and walk it off. That last strike out for Will Klein makes it seven for the Dodgers. Free Jumbo Jacks tomorrow. Jack in the Box in LA. Buy a large drink and get a free jumbo jack. First three of those 7Ks belong to Clayton Kershaw. He joined the 3000 strikeout club. Now the Dodgers have three outs to rally. Grant Taylor back out for another inning. face Michael Conorto, Tommy Edmond, and then Hassan Kim, a fast ball pitcher against a hitter who has had some struggles against heaters this year in Conorto. against the open stance, the new bat, new approach. If you’re not catching up to the fast ball or squaring it up and it take and it’s a long time, it is time for some change. Pulled foul to the net. Two and two. Turned 94 on the inside part there. Dodgers have six walk-off wins this year. tie for third most in Major League Baseball. Chopper to the right side. It squeaks through. Confoto reaches to start the ninth and brings the tying run to the plate with Tommy Edmond. It’s not a fast ball and it’s not hit hard, but it’s hit in the right place with a few hops. And the last hop just under the glove of Sosa Squeaker. Rojos on the grass at third. Taylor deals. Edmond takes. Fast ball misses away. Edmond’s been aboard twice. A walk in the second and an infield single in the seventh. Ball two. This house will start rocking if these counts keep building like this. And you’re only a couple batters away from show. 95 away. Ball three. He’s taken all the way. Might even be taken two on three 0. Edmond does watch ball four. Four pitch walk tying runs on base. Now coming up after the game, it’ll be Access Sportsnet Dodgers presented by Mercury Insurance. A lot to chew on in this one for John Hartung, Jerry Harrison Jr., and Nomar Garcia Parara. Highlights, postgame interviews, and breakdowns coming your way next on Sportsnet LA. Mountain visit from the pitching coach Ethan Catz. The Dodgers trying to mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth. They got two on and nobody out. Well, old school thinking and some that are probably older than 40 years old are home going, “Isn’t Kim going to bunt?” And if he bunts though, you got a chance to lose Otani’s bat with an intention to walk. And that used to happen years ago. So, usually it’s you let your hitter swing. And especially with Kim with his wheels, he’s probably not going to hit into a double play. He would have to hit a bullet in the infield right at somebody for them to turn two. Corners pinched in for the White Socks. Rojos at third, Vargas at first. First pitch to Kim upstairs. Another ball. So Kim, a rookie, certainly seen that Taylor is having struggle with the strike zone right now. How aggressive will he be? He’s going to be patient. He has been very successful with runners in scoring position this year. And I mean very successful, hitting 500, 10 for 20. But right here in the context, this is probably a take. He does another ball. Seven straight thrown from Taylor. The MVP is on deck. Another possible two take situation. This one and the next one. Time. Ball four. Load them up. Tying runs in the scoring position. Winning run on base. Nobody out. Otani at the plate. Does he have another ninth inning swing in him? The flashback to this blast. The ball away just off the plate and he still hits it out. In this context, you would say make him throw a strike from the mound, but when you’re show Otani You just let him go hit. Another ball from Taylor. Nine in a row. Well, you tuned in to watch 3,000 strikeouts from Clayton Kershaw. And you might just get a little cherry on top right here. Swatted foul down the left field side. Joe Otani also owns the last regular season walk-off grand slam for the Dodgers. 4040. You remember that from 2024. on a 1-1 pitch. Otani will swing and ground the ball to the right side. Could be two. Sosa goes to second for beats the throw. Conforto scores. The Dodgers are within one. You’re hoping for a home run, but now you’re wishing for no double play. And with Otani’s wheels, they don’t get it. And now you’ve got the tying run on third with less than two outs. Will Venibal, the first year manager of the White Socks, who’s taking Grant Taylor out. First and third, one out. Mookie Bets do up when we come back. Mookie Bets has one of the Dodgers six walk-off hits. came back from the first home stand against the Detroit Tigers. Some mookie magic in the bottom of the ninth. Since then, it has been mostly a struggle offensively, but that’s a former MVP and a future Hall of Famer coming up here now. Tying run on third, winning run on first, one out in the bottom of the ninth. The Dodgers now within a run. It’s a right-hander Steven Wilson, the former Padre against whom Betts is two for five of the double walk and two strikeouts. First pitch swinging high in the air left field on the running track. It is caught, but Mookie Bets gets the job done and ties the game at four. number 16, Will Smith. Will Smith will have a chance. Recall the last home stand for the Dodgers against the Padres’s. Will Smith hit a walk-off home run against Robert Suarez. Mooki sack fly gets Clayton to spit the hook on the night when he strikes out his 3000. Now Will Smith can help him put it away with a W. Can’t check out strike one. We saw Shi steal over 50 bases last year. I don’t think we’re going to see him steal quite as much now that he is in the rotation, but this wouldn’t be a bad place to attempt one. Strike two called the bottom of the zone. Smith will have a discussion with Jim Wolf. It’ll be a short one. Smith is 0 for6 in his career against Wilson. Tied at four, bottom of the ninth. One more out, one more strike in this inning. That’s disengagement number two for Wilson watching Otani on first base. on an 02 pitch from Wilson. Otani takes off. It’s a ball to throw down to second. Skips high and Otani slides underneath the tag. A winning run now in scoring position. Every time he attempts to steal now that he’s back pitching, there’s the riskreward equation. And the reward is big enough and it’s called a W tonight. to reach 50. You’re stealing whenever you get on, whenever you feel like there’s an opportunity, and it’s not about the scoreboard, but here it was. Here comes the one, two, Smith. Eyeballs, ball two down in the dirt between Kim and Will Smith. probably the two best guys to have at the plate with a runner in scoring position, especially on the night when you are 0 for eight with a sack fly. Two out. Otani on second. Here comes the two. Just missed. What a take by Smith. It might have grazed the electronic strike zone, but Will had a borderline call earlier and a little bit of a a glance at the homeplayed umpire and that might have saved him. Bottom of the ninth, tie game. Full count the pitch. It’s downstairs. Smith walks and the torch is passed to Freddy Freeman. His ninth inning rally is not over yet. Do not blink on the first pitch. If Freddy likes it, he will be heading it for the left center gap. He does not let the pressure and the context of the moment stop him from attacking. After a month and a half slug, Freddy Freeman comes up in the bottom of the ninth. A chance to walk it off for the Dodgers. Freddy is already choking up. He is just trying to get a base hit. Two on, two out, tied at four. Wilson’s first pitch. Freeman does jump on it. Rumps it to right field. It’s down. Here comes Otani. He’s coming home. Where are we going? We’re going home. First pitch, breaking ball, choked up, gets himself a base hit. He’s going to left center with the fast ball. He gets a breaking ball and he pulls it in the air. Finds some outfield grass. a base hit on the sixth and now the winning RBI in the bottom of the ninth. Freddy Freeman a multi-hit game, the Dodgers with a W. Clayton Kershaw gets his 30,000 strikeout. And then the teammate who was most in his ear every single start, you’re getting closer. You’re this many away. It was Freddy Freeman and he walks it off in the bottom of the ninth. The Dodgers scored three runs to stun the White Socks and clinch their seventh straight series victory. Access Sportsnet Dodgers, you got one heck of a show coming up for Hersheiser, Kirsten Watson and our amazing crew. Russell Kodani producing Ben Dylanberger directing. I’m Stephen Nelson. Thanks for watching. Clayton Kershoff. The night is yours.

FULL GAME: July 2, 2025 – Chicago White Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw becomes 20th member of the 3,000-strikeout club, freezing White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra with a slider for the final out of the sixth inning.

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