Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers Legend Now Linked Forever in Baseball History

The 37-year-old Kershaw became just the 20th player in Major League Baseball history to achieve the feat.

He needed just three strikeouts entering the game, but the White Sox — last in the major leagues in batting average — made things tough on Kershaw. While more than a dozen batters had two strikes on them, Chicago's hitters fought off pitch after pitch, tagging Kershaw for four runs on nine hits in six innings.

Manager Dave Roberts said before the game he'd would manage differently, and he allowed Kershaw to throw the most pitches he has in a game this season. The strikeout of Capra came on pitch No. 100.

He also struck out infielders Miguel Vargas in the third inning and Lenyn Sosa in the fifth to join the list of pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts.

The list is an impressive one, topped by Nolan Ryan and his 5,714 strikeouts. Of the 19 players ahead of him, 14 have plaques in the Hall of Fame. CC Sabathia will be inducted later this month, and Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer -- both still active -- are likely first-ballot selections when eligible. HOF voters have not selected Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, with off-field issues a primary reason.

Kershaw is one of four left-handers to achieve the milestone — Sabathia, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson are the others — and one of just three pitchers to do it while wearing only one uniform. On that front, he joins Walter Johnson (Washington Senators) and Bob Gibson (St. Louis Cardinals).

The 37-year-old Kershaw is in 18th season in Dodger Blue and entered the game with a 216-94 record and 2.51 career ERA. He was the 2014 National League MVP and is a 10-time All-Star who also has won three Cy Young Awards and pitching's Triple Crown.

He led the NL in strikeouts in 2011 and 2013 before striking out an MLB-best 301 in 2015.

White Sox manager Will Venable played for the Dodgers briefly in 2016 and saw Kershaw up close as a teammate,

“Just an extremely hard worker, great human being, a guy that deserves all the success he’s had,” Venable said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s a very good pitcher who is still performing well. Just a competitor who presents a lot of problems for hitters on both sides. He’s probably going to be able to spin the ball for the rest of his life.”

Chicago rookie shortstop Chase Meidroth grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs and must have had a surreal moment when he faced Kershaw in the first inning. He finished 1-for-3 against Kershaw, who was replaced by Lou Trivino in the seventh.

“I grew up watching Kershaw," Meidroth said ahead of the game. “I’m for sure gonna have an on-deck moment where I go, ‘Yeah, this is sick.’ ”