LOS ANGELES — The Colorado Rockies couldn’t catch up to Clayton Kershaw’s off-speed stuff, one of the major reasons the Los Angeles Dodgers ace no-hit them Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
“He did a phenomenal job,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said after Los Angeles’ 8-0 win. “Keeping them off-balance with his breaking ball when he had two strikes (was huge). He had the best curveball and best slider together on the same night, and that’s what creates that no-hit stuff.
“He was able to spot his fastball, didn’t really miss in the middle of the plate too often, but when he’s got his breaking ball going like that, it makes my job back there pretty easy.
“He didn’t make many mistakes all night, either.”
The only mistake that ruined a perfect game was shortstop Hanley Ramirez’s two-base error to open the seventh inning. Colorado left fielder Corey Dickerson dribbled a grounder to Ramirez, who fielded it but threw wide of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
Ramirez, who left Tuesday’s win over the Rockies with a bruised ring finger on his throwing hand, didn’t return for the eighth inning, with Carlos Triunfel replacing him. Still, no one felt worst than Ramirez. And to his credit, he didn’t dodge the media.
“In that situation, you don’t want anything (to happen) because you want to save the pitcher,” Ramirez said. “He’s got a perfect game going, so you try to do your best.”
Kershaw dismissed the miscue, saying afterward that Ramirez made an outstanding effort and shouldn’t be blamed. The 2011 and 2013 National League Cy Young Award winner added that he was more concerned he would be the one to make a mistake.
“We just started scoring so many runs, I didn’t want to screw it up,” Kershaw said.