Clayton Kershaw doesn’t have the longest consecutive scoreless innings streak by a Dodger pitcher this season. His National League Player of the Week award collected Monday is nothing new, either — it’s the third won by a Dodger in 2012 (Matt Kemp won it on back-to-back weeks to begin the season).
But things are going good right now for the Dodgers, and Kershaw joined the party last week. He went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings (the most thrown by any NL pitcher), with 10 strikeouts, three walks and 10 hits allowed.
Seven days ago, Kershaw tossed seven shutout innings, striking out six and allowing just four hits in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
On Saturday night, Kershaw outdueled St. Louis Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook in a 6-0 shutout at Dodger Stadium. He also doubled and scored a run in the Dodgers’ four-run seventh inning, which broke a 0-0 tie.
The left-hander currently ranks second in the National League with 61.2 innings pitched, and is third among qualifying pitchers with a 1.90 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. This is his second career weekly award, the other coming June 27, 2011.
Kershaw’s streak of 22 scoreless innings dates back to May 8 against the Giants and is 2.2 innings shorter than the season-high set by Chris Capuano.
In recognition of his award, Kershaw will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time.
The Dodgers visit the Diamondbacks tonight (6:40 p.m., Prime Ticket).