Dodgers ace Kershaw notches 3,000th strikeout

Los Angeles, United States, 3 July - Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw became just the 20th pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts on Wednesday in a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Kershaw, 37, reached the milestone when he struck out Vinny Capra in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history, Kershaw had gone into Wednesday's game needing three strikeouts to reach the 3,000 mark.

With a raucous home crowd roaring him on, he made hard work of reaching the milestone as the White Sox took a surprise early lead over the World Series champions.

Kershaw struck out former team-mate Miguel Vargas in the third inning and then bagged Lenyn Sosa in the fifth to set up his storybook moment in the sixth.

The Dodger Stadium crowd roared its appreciation for the pitcher as he reached the 3,000-mark, giving him a lengthy standing ovation.

Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award-winner and a former NL Most Valuable Player in 2014, has played the entirety of his career at the Dodgers, making his major league debut in 2008.

The Dodgers went on to win Wednesday's game with a dramatic three-run rally in the ninth inning, Freddie Freeman walking it off to complete a 5-4 victory.

"It was such a special night all the way around, it really was," Kershaw said.

"Running out there for the sixth inning and hearing that crowd roar was up there for me in special moments.

"I couldn't have asked for anything more. Give the White Sox credit -- they didn't make it easy on me at all.

"So it was a tough night. But what a way to end it with Freddie coming up clutch at the end.

"I told my team-mates -- winning individual awards are great, but if you don't have anybody to celebrate it with, it doesn't matter."

Kershaw joins two other active MLB pitchers in the 3,000 club -- Justin Verlander, who is 10th in the all-time list with 3,471 strikeouts, and Max Scherzer, who is 11th on 3,419.

Nolan Ryan heads the all-time rankings with 5,714 strikeouts.BSS