Dodgers’ Kershaw loses perfect game bid in 7th vs Mets

Clayton Kershaw not only continued his scoreless streak on Thursday night and flirted with perfection, settling for a shutout in the Dodgers’ 3-0 win over the Mets in the series opener at Citi Field in New York.

Clayton Kershaw cruised through the Mets’ lineup Thursday night, flirting with a ideal game before ultimately striking out 11 in a three-hit, 3-0 victory.

Kershaw threw his first no-hitter 13 months ago at Dodger Stadium against the Colorado Rockies, and he looked like he was on his way to No. 2 after six perfectly easy innings.

“We’re hopeful that he will pitch here this weekend”, Mattingly said. Amazingly, they’re still only second in the National League East says a lot about the division as a whole and how bad it actually is.

Barely six weeks ago on June 10, San Francisco rookie Chris Heston completed a no-hitter against the Mets, the seventh against them in team history. Duda has homered three times in his last 45 games after hitting nine through his first 48. Greinke leads the majors with a 1.30 ERA and is 9-2 in 19 starts for the NL West leaders.

“We’re not embarrassed by it”, manager Terry Collins said of the order.

The Mets didn’t have anything close to a hit in the first six innings against Kershaw, who needed only 62 pitches to set down the initial 18 batters. He spent his first eight major league seasons with the Angels, winning 96 games from 2005-12.

The Dominican native allowed just one run on five hits with four strikeouts over eight strong innings. 180 after at least 100 at-bats when they sent John Mayberry Jr. The Dodgers tacked on two more runs against relievers Sean Gilmartin and Carlos Torres in the ninth. Kershaw, who maybe threw over to first base three times all night, did just that before he delivered his next pitch.

NOTES: Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke’s pursuit of RHP Orel Hershiser’s consecutive scoreless innings record will be put on hold after his wife went into labor Thursday.

Yankees 9, Orioles 3: Jacoby Ellsbury was a triple shy of the cycle and drove in four runs, and Chase Headley hit a three-run double as New York finished a three-game sweep.

NOTES: Following the game, the Dodgers announced LHP Ian Thomas will start Friday in place of RHP Zack Greinke.

Kershaw tossed a shutout and the Mets fell, 3-0, to the Dodgers at Citi Field. There has been speculation that Los Angeles could be interested in acquiring the left-hander from New York in a trade. Dodgers LHP Brett Anderson (Achilles) threw on flat ground and will throw a bullpen session Friday before it is determined if he can start Sunday…. Mets GM Sandy Alderson said 3B David Wright, who hasn’t played since April 14 due to spinal stenosis, could resume baseball activities in New York next week.